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TIME was when the Philippines could claim to be one of the rice
bowls of Asia. But, alas, now though not exactly with begging bowl
in hand but more like check book, the Philippines has to go shopping
elsewhere in the Asian neighborhood for this most basic staple
without which no Filipino dinner table is complete.
It’s a point not lost on Senator Loren Legarda
who, ironically was featured on posters working in a rice field
during one of her election campaigns. As Asia grapples with soaring
prices of rice, the senator urged the government to tap the likes of
64-year-old Eulogio “Tay Gipo” Sasi Jr. to increase farm
production and ensure food security for Filipinos.
Sasi—a renowned home bred seed
conservationist—brought honor to the country recently when he was
invited by Norway’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food to address
the opening of the Global Seed Vault in Norway.
Norway invited Sasi to the opening of the vault
to speak on his work on seed conservation, the maintenance of
biodiversity in his farm and the production of a robust rice variety
that he named “Bardagol.”
Sasi’s “Bardagol”, which he named after a
comic character who saved the planet, was noted for its good
tillering trait and resistance to pests and diseases. The variety is
widely used by other local farmers.
Touted as a modern “Noah’s Ark,” the
Global Seed Vault is capable of storing millions of varieties of
seeds found worldwide and serves as an insurance against extinction
of plant varieties.
Legarda said Sasi’s work reminded her of how
active the Philippines was in the 1970s in researching and
developing better crop varieties.
“The government must tap the services of such
knowledgeable farmers like Tay Gipo so they can impart to others the
body of knowledge they had acquired through experience,” Legarda
said.
Asian countries, including the Philippines where
rice is a staple food, are reeling from high prices, with
Thailand’s benchmark rice selling now $500 a ton, up $100 from
last month. Just a year ago, the grain was trading for $325 in Asia.
Added Legarda: “There are just two options for
us. Either we meet local rice demand by hiking production, or we
allocate more of our foreign reserves to import,” she said. “At
present, our hands are tied and we have no choice but to import
rice”.
While she was on the subject of food for the
table, Senator Legarda also imparted some food for thought on the
vexed matter of the Spratlys—calling for a sober and intelligent
discussion of Philippine sovereignty issues concerning the oil-rich
Spratlys group of islands claimed by the Philippines, China, and
Vietnam, among other nations.
“All efforts should be exerted so that the
Spratlys would not be a flashpoint leading to regional disputes,”
stressed Legarda.
The senator issued the warning in the face of
the heated statements being issued over the Joint Marine Seismic
Undertaking (JMSU) forged by the Philippines with China and Vietnam
in 2004.
“There is no valid reason to compromise
Philippine sovereignty. However, it is still premature to draw any
definitive conclusion about this deal. Let’s look first at this
agreement thoroughly,” she said.
Legarda emphasized that civility is the hallmark
of intelligent discussions, especially on a matter such as the
Spratlys, which affects other countries.
“There is a diplomatic element here and we
should be guided accordingly. There is no room here for rash and
unfounded statements,” she said.
The Spratlys consist of more than 100 small
islands or reefs surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially
rich gas and oil deposits.
The first major Philippine oil discovery
occurred off the coast of Palawan near the Spratlys territory in
1976. The fields are said to now account for 15 percent of all
petroleum consumed in the Philippines.
bizzfizz_98@yahoo.com
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