Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Maming In Search of Opponent

"Magbueoligan kita, Mayor ANTONG Antonio T. Maming". This is a streamer placed in some conspicuous corners in Poblacion, Banga, Aklan.

Magbueoligan is an Aklanon term which means let us help or cooperate. "Kita" also means ‘We’. Hence, magbueoligan kita simply means let us cooperate with each other.

But how will Mayor Maming promote cooperation in his town? How will he get cooperation in his administration as Mayor of Banga?

The following day after his re-election as Municipal Mayor of Banga, he started searching for his opponent as Mayor of Banga in the next 2013 local election. In the afternoon of Tuesday, May 11, he invited me to join politics in Banga and be his opponent for mayor to which I politely declined. Since I rejected the invitation, Mayor Maming asked me to look for one person whom I would like to support for the position of the Mayor of Banga and be his worthy opponent. With that, I begged to leave.

DA Distributes Seeds Until August

The Department of Agriculture will distribute certified rice seeds until August in Western Visayas. This includes Aklan.

According to DA Asst. Regional Director Remelyn Recoter, Western Visayas is allotted 119,000 bags of certified palay seeds to be distributed until August 2010 under 50:50 scheme during the wet season planting.

The 50:50 scheme means the farmer pays 50 percent of the price of the seeds and the government pays 50 percent. Such that a sack of certified seeds which cost P1,200, the farmer only pays P600.00.

The farmer beneficiary must be included in the master list of agricultural technologist of the province. The allocation is one sack per hectare of rice paddy.

The rice seed distribution is now rapidly implemented in the provinces of Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo. When will the DA distribute the palay certified seeds in Aklan?

Bridges

In Iloilo, Antique and Capiz, they will inaugurate soon 17 new bridges. How many bridges did Aklan inaugurated? I heard that Iloilo is constructing bridges and the construction of rivers follows. Is this correct?

Aklan is traversed by many rivers but few bridges are constructed. How come? Aklan has only one Congressman while Iloilo has more plus some members of the President’s cabinet. Is the Gloria government of force and not of reason, fairness and justice?

Hopefully, with President Noynoy Aquino, and the three (3) congressmen including Party List Rep. Teodorico T. Haresco of Kasangga and Teddy Casiño of Bayan will get more development assistance it deserves. Moreover, Congressman Joeben T. Miraflores has pledged allegiance to the Liberal Party to enable himself to share more resources for development of Aklan.

Provincial Twin Program

Studying the pronouncement of Cong. Joeben T. Miraflores and Gov. Carlito S. Marquez, the twin program for agriculture and tourism remains their priority. They are ably supported by the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan being presided by Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo.

On their inaugural session on Thursday, July 1, Gov. Carlito S. Marquez is invited to present his executive agenda which will require legislative collaboration. It is also aimed to craft, harmonize, and synchronize executive legislative agenda for the next three years.

But what is the program in agriculture to support provincial tourism? Is provincial agriculture program geared to enable farmers strong participation in the tourist industry and enjoy the fruits of tourism?

Is the provincial tourist industry favorable to the majority of the Aklanons, specifically the farmers? Who profits most in Aklan Provincial Tourism?

In transportation, how many percent of the industry income is Aklanons’ share? In hotel and restaurants business, how much percent go to Aklan? In the supply of food, what is the volume produced locally sold to Boracay?

LGU Aklan may wish to review and conduct in-depth study of farmer participation in the supply of food for the tourists.

Aklan provincial government participates actively in the development of airport. Any problem, even minor problem, in Kalibo International Airport (KIA), the local government is often cited as culprit.

But how many percent of the income of the KIA is retained by the local government of Aklan?

Every passenger to a local destination is charged P40.00 each terminal fee, passengers going abroad pay P500.00 each and any plane which lands and parks in the airport is charged per parking of an undisclosed amount.

Civil Aeronautic Administration Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) must pay just share of its airport income to the LGU Aklan.

Aklan provincial government agriculture program must be designed to fulfill two main objectives. First, to produce enough high quality food supply for Aklanons, and second, to produce high quality agriculture products for tourists and visitors.

Observation tells that even flowers for local use and for visitors are imported. Chicken meat and eggs are inadequate for actual Aklanon demands and tourist’s needs are imported. There is inadequate fruits and vegetables supply so businessmen are forced to import from other provinces and even abroad.

These shortages must be addressed in the provincial agricultural programs, projects, and activities.

May the bright boys in the provincial planning and development office will soon come to their senses and recognize the need.

One Airport

For one thing, one airport is enough in Aklan and that is KIA. Why invest huge amount of money for the convenience of foreigners? That amount for the Caticlan Airport could as well be spent for the improvement of the Kalibo – Malay road.

In this, both Aklanons and visitors will enjoy the pleasure of passing on excellent road. Caticlan airport will only serve the foreigners and few Filipinos. The money spent for it will deprive the Filipinos the use of it. /MP