President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is pushing for improved coordination mechanisms between the national and local government units (LGU) to ensure food security.
In his meeting with the League of Provinces of the Philippines on Thursday in the Malacañang Palace, Marcos called on the governors to develop the country’s food supply chain management.
“We cannot just allow ‘bahala na kayo’,” Marcos said, as quoted in a Palace press release.
Marcos emphasized to them the importance of planning, saying it will give the idea of the provinces’ cropping schedules, yield, soil problems, and use of fertilizer.
“But this has to be part of a plan, and that is why, more than ever, the President needs the help of the governors. Dati, the agriculture, for example, was really under the national government,” he said.
The Chief Executive also sought strengthened coordination in the field of digitalization, saying that information from one LGU must also be accessible by another LGU.
“Marami sa inyong medyo progressive, inunahan niyo na ang national government. Now, we have to bring the system together,” said Marcos.
“Kailangan ‘yung information na hawak ng isang probinsya, ng isang agency, accessible doon sa kabila as long as they have authorization,” he added.
Marcos wants all provinces “literally interconnected” to enable one another to transfer information concerning food supply.
“That’s another area where we are hoping that we can strengthen the cooperation – the planning, the coordination between the national government and local government,” he said.
In his first State of the Nation Address, the President discussed his administration’s plan for digital transformation.
This includes the rollout of National IDs, the implementation of the National Broadband Plan and the common tower program, as well as connecting geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas via the so-called ‘Broad Band ng Masa’ project.