Senator Robin Padilla said that the president can be the best spokesperson to impart the benefits of the Rice Tariffication Act to communities.
Padilla made the remark during a Senate hearing that tackled his Senate Resolution 1024 seeking an inquiry into government efforts to inform the public about the law and other policies that will support local farmers.
Padilla cited a vlog from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), wherein President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself discussed the act and recommended dubbing videos to local dialects.
“Kung papayag si President, kung meron siyang permiso, ay maidub niyo [ang video] sa ibang salita. Ang ganda kasi president mismo yung nagsasalita… Iba yung Pangulo, iba yung leader ang nakikita natin na nagsasalita kasi yan yung rallying factor,” Padilla said.
(If the President agrees, if he gives permission, dub [the video] in other dialects. It’s better that the President himself delivers the information… It's different when it’s the President, it’s different when we see our leader talk because that is the rallying factor.)
Meanwhile, PCO Assistant Secretary for TV Dale De Vera said that the agency uses traditional media to disseminate information at the grassroots level.
“Meron po kaming mga weekly kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas na simultaneous activity po siya in every region, para kung nakalocalize po, hindi nakacentralize, yung issue para mas mailapit po sa public,” he said.
(We have weekly kapihan with Bagong Pilipinas that is aired simultaneously in every region so that the issue is localized to be closer to the public, not centralized)
“We agree that the president is the best spokesperson for the country, so we will recommend yung binigay niyong recommendation (so we will recommend your recommendation),” he added.
Federation of Free Farmers chairman Leonardo Montemayor urged the government to utilize local government units, farmers cooperatives, and associations for “good public information campaigns.”
Also during the committee hearing, Senate President Chiz Escudero discussed “a mismatch” in the proposed government budget for farmers.
"We should put our money where our mouth is. If you want to truly improve the lives of the poorest of the poor Filipinos engaged in the sector of agriculture, then we should start investing in agriculture. Hopefully, in the coming deliberations on the budget for 2025, we will see an improvement," Escudero said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News
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