BBM-SARA UNITEAM TO STRENGTHEN MINDANAO’s AGRI BUSINESS

To make it PH’s food basket

Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. and vice presidential bet Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte assured that they will further strengthen Mindanao to become the country’s food basket to help the region recover from the economic devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the Marcos-Duterte tandem, dubbed BBM-Sara Uniteam for both believe in, and advocate unifying leadership, said Mindanao must be at the forefront of the country’s agricultural trade because one-third of its land area is devoted to agriculture.

“Bagama’t ang Mindanao ang itinuturing na isa sa pinakamahirap na isla sa bansa, ito naman ang maituturing na pinakamayaman pagdating sa mga natural resources. Kaya nararapat lamang na pagyamanin natin at palakasin ito nang maisakatuparan nating maging food basket ito ng bansa,” the duo, consistent topnotcher in all presidential and vice presidential nationwide formal and informal surveys, said.

Mindanao is long seen and considered to be the strategic food basket of the Philippines, currently producing 40 percent of the country’s food needs and contributing more than 30 percent to national food trade.

“Malakas ang potensyal ng Mindanao dahil sa mayaman nitong lupa at magandang klima kaya nararapat lamang mapalakas ito para na rin sa pagbangon ng rehiyon na matindi ring tinamaan ang ekonomiya dahil sa Covid-19,” they stated.

The BBM-Sara Uniteam even cited Bukidnon, a well-known food source in northern Mindanao because it is a major producer of rice, corn and sugarcane in the country.

“Kilala ang Mindanao na isa sa mga pangunahing pinagkukunan ng palay, mais, saging, cacao at niyog. Kung matututukan natin ito at mas lalo pang palakasin ang produksyon walang duda na kayang-kayang makabangon ng Mindanao,” the duo stated.

They added that Mindanao also has great potential to strengthen the country’s export industry.

“Sa halip na tayo ang nag-iimport ng mga produkto sa ibang mas mayayamang bansa, dapat tayo ang nag-eexport sa kanila dahil napakalaki ng potential ng mga agricultural land sa Mindanao,” the BBM-Sara Uniteam stressed.