CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu City government is eyeing to use idle lands in the city for agricultural production as one of the ways to mitigate the possible socio-economic impacts of the African Swine Fever issue, the increasing inflation rate, and the looming El Niño season.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, laid his plans to ensure food security and sustainability in the city as the backbone to its continued economic growth and resiliency amid threats of the ASF, inflation rate, and the impending El Niño.
These measures are contained in a directive that he issued on Tuesday.
Rama said that all lands within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Cebu, whether owned by the City of Cebu, belonging to the government, or private individuals and corporation, will be utilized for agricultural products subject to an arrangement that will be entered by the owner and farmer.
“All private land owners are enjoined to engage in agricultural production within the land situated in the City of Cebu which is suitable for agricultural production without prejudice to the imposition of idle land tax, liability under the existing laws, and the exercise of the power of an eminent domain,” reads a portion of his administrative order addressed to various departments, including the City Agriculture Department, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries, City Market Operations Division, barangay officials, among others.
Rama also ordered the Agriculture Department to secure the “optimum production, protection, and preservation of the livestock and poultry industry.”
He also called for enhanced and sustainable agricultural production.
With this, Rama ordered that all farm-to-market roads must be established, implemented, and repaired with urgency.
“To this respect, the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) of the City of Cebu, in coordination with national agencies shall implement and utilize all available resources for the purpose,” Rama ordered.
The mayor also tasked the Cebu City Disaster Office to devise projects and programs to mitigate the effect of the foreseen El Niño and tasked water utilities to ensure the supply of clean, safe, and potable water.
Rama then tasked the City Health Department to check and regulate all sources of water and the quality of water in the city to keep the consuming public safe, especially in the period of scarcity in the water supply.
/bmjo
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