President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said yesterday the priority of her administration is agriculture, adding “We have plans to plant rice more.”

Arroyo was in Dumaguete City yesterday to attend the birthday celebration of former Rep. Herminio Teves, and hold dialogs on the faith-based rice distribution scheme, and the insurgency problems in Negros Oriental.

“Due to our low production of rice we try to buy imported rice from Thailand and Vietnam. And Vietnam prioritized our country with 1.2 million metric tons of rice this year,” Arroyo said.

She said the country can produce rice, however, due to geographical location and mountainous terrain of farmlands, rice production will cost higher in these areas.

Farmers should instead, use their lands for credit or collateral in loans from financial institutions in order to have capital to engage in agricultural farming, Arroyo said, adding that through this, farmers can earn extra income.

The president also visited the rice retailing operations of the Provider Ministries Fellowship International Inc. led by Pastors Alberto and Chona Javier, the church ministry that distributed rice to some 100 members and aims to reach out to some 1,000 families at P18.25 per kilo with maximum three kilos limit per person.

She, however, cancelled the meeting with bishops, priests, and religious groups and skipped the Tindahan ng Parokya in Brgy. Tinago.

ON WAGES

Arroyo yesterday also reiterated her order that all RTWPB members work overtime on May 1 on pending petitions of various workers groups for new wage increases to ease the impact of the rising cost of commodities and basic services.

She said she had ordered newly-installed Labor Secretary Marianito Roque to direct all RTWPB officials and members to tackle the workers’ petitions for wage adjustments as an urgent matter.

“I had given an instruction to DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque. I want all the tripartite wage boards to meet on May 1 itself,” she said when interviewed by the media.

She added that working on Labor Day is “a better celebration of May 1 than the usual speeches.”

“They will be having their meeting on that day. All of them, no exemption,” she said.

She admitted, however, that despite the May 1 “overtime,” the RTWPBs were unlikely to come up with a new set of wage levels immediately.

INAUGURATION

The president, while in Dumaguete City, inaugurated the Sidlakang Negros Village, a newly-constructed livelihood hub that would showcase the talents, skills and world-class products of the residents of Negros Oriental.

She toured various booths in the village that showcase the products of the towns and cities of the province. They also display the arts and crafts  made by a pool of top quality producers of fine-crafted fashion jewelry, furniture and fixtures, interior decors, ornaments and other handicrafts.*RG

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