CEBU CITY, Philippines — Indigenous rights advocate and senatorial candidate Teddy Baguilat vows to have programs for agriculture, Indigenous People, and the environment once he takes a seat in the Senate.
On Monday, April 11, Baguilat, a native of Ifugao, visited Cebu City to meet and talk with the public. Baguilat was also at the Pagtambayayong Foundation Office founded by Cebu City vice mayoral candidate Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez.
LOOK: Teddy Baguilat in Cebu City
Baguilat said that should he be given the chance to win in this election, he would focus his expertise on the environment and agriculture side.
“Gusto ko magfocus sa agrikultura dahil marami sa ating magsasaka ay tumitigil na dahil, una, napakababa ng presyo ng bigas because we have allowed importation. Hindi naman masama ang magimport ng pagkain kung meron tayong food shortage, ang problema parang ayon na ang naging policy,” Baguilat said.
(I would like to focus on agriculture because many of our farmers have stopped farming because, one, the price of rice is so low because we have allowed importation of rice. To import food is not bad if there is a food shortage, the problem, however, is that this has become a policy of the government.)
“When you talk about food security, ang pangunahing polisiya sa akin is directly tulungan yung mga magsasaka at mangingisda, hindi importation,” he added.
(When you talk about food security, the first policy for me is to directly help the farmers and the fishermen and not importation.)
Over this, Baguilat said that he would want to craft a law that would give subsidies to both farmers and fisherfolk.
For the agriculture side, Baguilat said that the government must identify which land would be protected, commercial, residential, and structural to preserve agricultural lands.
As he would want to be chosen as a senator in this coming election, Baguilat said that a voter must consider that anyone who would sit in the senate would be supposed to represent the public, this should craft laws.
Among Baguilat’s passed laws are Expanded Maternity Leave Law, Sagip Saka Act, Free Tertiary Education Act, Youth Entrepreneurship Act, and others.
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