Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

How Prepared Are We?

How prepared is the Philippines for the ASEAN Economic Integration which will be effective next year? This is the common question being asked by many people for the forthcoming implementation of the ASEAN Economic Integration.

ASEAN is composed of 10 South East Asian countries which are Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, and the Philippines. As agreed, almost all restrictions between and among these countries are removed such as in trade, business, industry and commerce. A good example is in the import/export of goods and services between and among these 10 countries.

When before the Philippines will allow goods like rice, fruits and vegetables from Thailand to enter the Philippines subject to certain laws and regulations. Philippines goods were also allowed to enter Thailand subject to Thai’s role and regulations. Most of those restrictions will be removed when the Integration takes effect next year. 

In the Aklan Forum held in Kalibo on February 28, 2014, the participants believed the Philippines is highly competitive in the professional fields such as in the medical profession. The Filipinos are also advanced in the entertainment field. Filipino musicians are found in Asian countries including Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

Weakness

But the Filipinos are miserably disadvantaged in agricultural fields. Philippines produced fruits and vegetables are not only inadequate, it is also more expensive than the other Asian countries. The Philippines is the highest rice importer of the world and these deficiencies are hard to explain why does the Philippines lag behind in Agricultural production. 

It is common knowledge that the Thais, Vietnamese, Malaysians, Indonesians studied agriculture in the Philippines. The International Rice Research Institute is located in the Philippines. But today, the Filipinos cannot compete with them in agriculture productivity. 

The Thais studied shrimp and prawn culture in Iloilo. Today, Thailand is number one prawn exporter of the world. Indonesia employed Filipino fishery technologists, today the Philippines is for behind in fishery production compared to Indonesia.

It appears the Filipinos are very effective teachers but poor implementors. Foreigners who are alumni of the Philippines colleges are helping their countries prosper. Are Filipino alumni of our colleges helping the Philippines become progressive? Can we inculcate among our students the love of country so that after graduation, they are loyal and loving citizens of the Philippines? So that after graduation, they will stay in the Philippines through thick and thin and contribute to the progress of our country?

Their dream of seeking employment abroad is a great loss to the country and family. It is difficult to imagine the time, effort and money spent for their education only to leave the Philippines and serve foreign countries. They are big loss in man power, the best and the brightest are going out.

Aklan Tourism Is Booming 

Aklan is great and wealthy province but about 35 percent of its people are living in poverty. Aklan has two (2) airports, one of which is the third busiest in the country. Almost in all coastal towns, boats can dock. 

However, who are benefiting from these resources? Those who have something to sell to our visitors. Those who have none maybe the victims of the tourist industry. Those who are engaging in transport, hotel, restaurant, souvenir shops, resort and entertainment are the beneficiaries of tourism. 

Those who sell none suffer high prices, traffic problem. Food prices are increasing daily and accidents occur along the road. Travel time is increased.

Farmer Participation

One way to allow farmers to participate in the tourist industry is to assist them produce more food like fruits and vegetables and even flowers. Aklan is short of these commodities. Rice produced in Aklan is inadequate. The shortage is supplied by Oriental Mindoro rice. Chicken and eggs are almost sourced out of Aklan. There is no poultry in Aklan. These inadequate agricultural food production is a drain of money that could have been saved and invested in Aklan. 

The LGU, to hasten agricultural production must appropriate more money for agriculture. The P10.8 million 2014 budget for agriculture out of the P1.3 billion budget of Aklan is only good for salaries of agriculture personnel in the capitol. 

This explains why agriculture technicians cannot impart scientific farming to the farmers. The decade old law banning the burning of rice straw is not followed. Who cares? For the poultry and swine projects which pollute the environment, the mayors solve it by ordering its closure. It should be to compel operators to follow scientific farming. The technologist must be assigned in the project to fully assist the project operator follow recommended poultry raising practices. /MP