Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 17) — Senator Robin Padilla on Thursday called on concerned government agencies to help farmers and fishers become entrepreneurs.
He suggested organizing them into cooperatives and help them run their own businesses.
At the hearing of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, the neophyte senator pointed out that farmers and fishers, who work to provide food for the nation, \”continue wallowing in poverty.\”
“Hindi po ba sila pwedeng i-train na ang kanilang raw materials, lagi na lang kasi raw kukunin ng trader, maiiwan ang magsasaka o mangingisda, kikita ang trader,” he pointed out..
“Di po ba tayo makagawa ng paraan na tulad sa ibang bansa, ang magsasaka at mangingisda nila ang may matatawag na magandang buhay?” he added.
[Translation: Can we not train them to market their raw materials? They say these are always being taken by traders. The farmer or fisherfolk are left behind while the trader gains profit. Can we not find a way, like other countries where farmers and fishers have a good life.]
Padilla made the comment at the hearing that tackled the Poverty Reduction Through Social Entrepreneurship (PRESENT) Act.
The senator asked agency representatives if there are programs to organize farmers and fishers into cooperatives, and to help them run their own businesses.
“Kasi nakakaawa ang magsasaka natin, ang anak nila ayaw nilang gawing magsasaka,” he said.
[Translation: Our farmers are so poor that they do not want their children to follow in their footsteps.\”]
