As he campaigns for a Senate seat in the upcoming May 12 elections, Rodante Marcoleta has outlined his plan to restructure Philippine agriculture by promoting a cluster farming approach, particularly in provinces like Negros that rely heavily on sugar.
In an exclusive interview with Brigada News FM-Kabankalan on Friday, April 25, Marcoleta said his plan, once elected, to advocate for the diversification of crop production and the implementation of cluster farming across the country.
“We don’t need to plant everywhere,” he said. He added that the government should identify provinces most suitable for rice production.
“For example, if 10 provinces can supply the country’s rice needs, then farming should be concentrated in those areas to minimize the costs of implementing policies such as irrigation,” Marcoleta said.
He also proposed allocating certain provinces for high-value crops, noting that a cluster of province could be enough to sustain the country’s food supply.
“We can ensure food security without planting across the entire Philippines,” he stressed.
Marcoleta also called on the government to prioritize subsidies for farmers instead of rice consumers. He slammed the P20-per-kilo rice program, calling it a “political gimmick”.
“Subsidies should go directly to the farmers, not to the rice buyers,” he said. “We need to fix the country’s agriculture system and place farmers at the heart of our efforts.”
The government plans to pilot the P20 rice program in Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas—regions with high demand for affordable rice.
The program allows each qualified family to buy up to 10 kilos of rice per week. It targets poor households, senior citizens, 4Ps beneficiaries, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and solo parents.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.