Politics behind food crisis

There's another scam over at the Philippine Department of Agriculture now being headed by Secretary Arthur Yap. The Inquirer today bared a Joc-Joc Bolante type of scam which occurred again in the same department. Names of beneficiaries were faked and funds siphoned off to other uses and possibly, lined the pockets of greedy men.

So, that explains why our farmers were unable to plant seeds because they have'nt received their rations from the government and that also explains why there's low harvest yields.

And why, aside from graft and corruption, the DA allows this (meaning low rice production)? To justify rice importation, that's the reason. If the country continues to produce only 90% capacity, it allows rice importers to puncture the market with their stocks. Also, an insufficient supply due to low production, also justifies the entry of smuggled foodstuffs, ergo, giving a windfall to importers.

The pressure of imports plus low local food production causes pressures for local food costs to rise. This, my friend, is an artificial tool that is the core cause of our present day misery!

This is too much already.

This government is too greedy and doing these at our expense. What's worst, this scam involves food security and how would we secure our food stocks if these continue? No wonder we have exorbitant food costs. Food costs continue to rise due to low productivity. And we allow smuggled goods and foodstuffs, even import rice when the main problem lies not in production capabilities rather in graft and corruption.

Politics have totally corrupted our state. Governance has now been totally transformed from being public service to public nuisance. What's worst, this threatens the very lives of each and everyone of us because it concerns food.

When will all these things stop? When will we wake up and muster the courage to stop these evil administration from pillaging our rice bowls? My God, this government threatens not only our lives, but the lives of our children, our families! My God, this things are sickening already.

Gising na po Pilipinas! Gising na po tayong lahat!

The Truth: Filipino Version

Truth--its everybody's buzz word today. From the halls of the Senate to the backwaters of Sulu, everybody wants everybody to seek and know the truth. And what is the truth?

Truth, as they say, is relative. One's truth maybe different from another's. For example, Neri's truth maybe coached in the simpliest terms--I heard my president say this, but I don't know if I'm at liberty of telling you about it. In JLo's case, I heard Neri lambasting the president for being an evil person but the truth is, he just wants me to moderate it. For Neri, he knows what the truth is, but he does not want to jeopardize the entire government since he probably believes that when Filipinos know the truth, will they be able to handle it properly? For Neri, the proper handling of the truth is filing charges in court. For JLo, its for the people to decide what to do next.

So, the truth depends on the perspective of people. For example, in the case of the on-going rice crisis. Government claims they're enough stocks. The problem is price, which, they say, is being influenced by global rice prices. Upon closer scrutiny, however, the people found out that the real reason why prices of rice continues to go up is that the rice cartel is manipulating it. Market prices are not dictating the price. No. It's the greediness of rice traders that is forcing rice prices to shoot up. So, its not global. Its purely local. And the fact is, government is helpless in combatting these big-time rice traders simply because they are transacting with them. Just like in Erap's time when the former president got what's due him for conniving and going to bed with jueteng lords, this government could fall under the weight of its prostitution with rice traders.

Therefore, for the Filipino, truth is what the Pinoy wants to believe. He wants to believe that he can feed himself without importing rice since he sees thousands of thousands of acres of prime, pristine and nutrient-rich lands all around. He does'nt see the fact that his government's priorities are elsewhere. Yes, there is land to cultivate. But government de-prioritized agriculture since government operators or the mafia does not see any profit from it. It prioritizes BPOs and the banks because everytime that a new foreign company sets up shop here, there's obviously protection money involved. Unlike agriculture.

There's plenty of land but you see thousands of them being turned into subdivisions. There's plenty of land but you don't see any tractors, any processing plants nor even rice mills dotting the landscape. There's no fertilizers because the monies were diverted elsewhere. There's no processing plants nor rice mills because the monies devoted to the development of agriculture have been diverted somewhere else. So rice varieties are being re-processed, NFA stocks diverted and big-time rice traders cum operators are happy. And when they are happy, the mayors, congressmen, governors and the palace are happy.

The palace announced that we will be spending 1.5 billion pesos for importation. Great. The palace just gave this 1.5 billion as free money to those traders.

The Sumilao Model

Just like what we wrote here, the Sumilao model remains as the most viable form of struggle that would eventually lead to a revolution. Yes, I said it first here. Versions of Sumilao appears in almost all of the forms of struggle right now. Marches left and right are happening now. At this writing, thousands of farmers are marching towards the seat of power.

And the Powers-That-Be quake in fear.

Will these mass actions lead to something wonderful? Will it eventually prelude the downfall of Gloria.

No.

Without the support of the enlightened military and the traditional political groupings like the Liberal Party, the Nacionalista and others, the rate of success is nearly zero. These mass actions should be supported by civil society, religious and proto-religious groups. Why? To attract middle class attention and animate the minds and hearts of the fence-sitting majority.

Why the rural masses as lead?

The continuing US recession will greatly impact the rural areas this year. Most of RP's agricultural products are being exported in the United States, Europe and Asia. With these markets under great stress and depression, the agricultural sector will definitely find it very difficult to expand and grow. Yes, agricultural production was high last year, as attested by Agri Secretary Arthur Yap. But, we are not talking about production here. We are talking markets. Even if we increase production ten-fold if these products cannot find a market, its useless. The internal demands for our agri products will never exceed external demands.

Expect thousands of insurgencies to explode in various parts of the country this year. And it is not because of globalization. It is due to a decreasing market size that is behind this.

Will ousting Arroyo solve the problem?

Yes. A new government will rejuvenate every sector of Philippine society. It will boost investments. It will likewise improve the economy, make it grow. Foreign governments will again look with kindness at this country and consider it as a viable investment and production site.

It will eliminate the persistent problem of legitimacy and would open the country to acclaim since finally, the Filipino People have wrested their freedom from dictatorship.