The UniTeam has adopted veteran legislator former senator and Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gringo Honasan as the 11th member of its senatorial ticket.
“We are pleased that he is now part of our senatorial slate. We believe that Sen. Gringo will accomplish a lot in the Senate, coming up with laws that will help ensure better lives for our countrymen,” Partido Federal ng Pilipinas standard-bearer Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. said.
Meanwhile, the UniTeam of Marcos and running mate Sara “Inday” Duterte has assured residents of Davao del Norte that among its top priorities is the creation of Banana Research and Development Center.
This would maintain the country’s top position in the global trade and also wipe out banana fungus known as Panama disease or fusarium wilt that has been a problem in the province for several years now.
In a recent dialogue with local officials of Davao del Norte headed by Gov. Roy Catalan, Vice Gov. Oyo Uy, and Rep. Antonio Lagdameo of Davao del Norte 2nd District, Marcos was asked by local officials how he can help the banana industry in the province.
Honasan, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, had a colorful career in the military before he entered politics in 1995 when he won a seat in the Senate, where he served from 1995 to 2004 and from 2007 to 2019.
As senator, Honasan authored and co-authored the Clean Air Act of 1999, Clean Water Act, the National Security Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2009, the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms Law (CARPER), among others.
Honasan also chaired significant committees in the Upper Chamber, such as the Committee on National Defense and Security, and Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation.
President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Honasan as Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology after his term ended in 2019.
“With our senatorial slate in the Senate, we will achieve our vision of steering the country towards greatness. We have the common vision of making every Filipino proud of our race. Gusto naming ang Pilipino ay taas noo kahit kanino,” Bongbong stressed.
In a related development, Honasan’s Reform Party has officially named Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the coming May 9 elections.
In a resolution issued on January 21, 2022, but was made public on Friday, February 4, 2022, signed by its president James A. Layug and other key officials, the party resolved to declare their support for the candidacies of Bongbong and Inday Sara.
“Whereas, in line with the Reform Party’s vision to build a strong Filipino Nation, that guarantees liberty, equality and prosperity for all … It shall establish alliances with other political organizations that can serve as key partners in the pursuit of meaningful social, political, and economic reforms in the country for the benefit of Filipino people,” the resolution read.
“Resolved, as it is hereby resolved to ADOPT the BBM- Sara UniTeam with Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos as official Reform Party candidate for President and Mayor Sara Duterte as the Reform Party candidate for Vice President,” a portion of the resolution also said.
Layug and his fellow Reform Party officials said that they decided to choose Bongbong and Sara because they carry the vision that their party believes in.
They are also convinced of their capability to lead and continue with the programs started by the incumbent Duterte administration such as Build, Build, Build, plans to enhance the country’s digital infrastructure, their anti- corruption and anti-drugs advocacies and many others.
“We will push for Banana Research Institute. Funds should be set aside for research for the management and increase of yield of banana growers,” Marcos said, adding that the research is not only to combat fusarium wilt but shall also study other varieties of banana to increase production.
“The varieties are too behind time. All our crops are behind us because of climate change. The weather is really very different. That is why research institutes are important,” he added.
Marcos said the research center will also help maintain the country’s top position in global trade as it can develop new varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases.
Based on research, some P500 million will be needed to establish a research institute that is essential in providing scientific, technical, and environment-friendly technologies and processes to promote the development of the industry from pre-production to post-harvest and from farm-to-market.
The local officials told Marcos that they have been looking forward for the creation of the research institute, saying the banana disease is seriously affecting the industry in their province.
“Banana industry is a billion-dollar industry. Problem is more than half is wiped out due to pain. Our market is consumed by Vietnam, Sri Lanka and other regions,” Gov. Catalan said.
Currently, the country is getting seedlings from Taiwan and conducting shared information and practices from the said nation, which has its own research institute.
“In research and development, it really should have government involvement and should be with partnership with the agricultural college or UPLB. They are our premier agricultural college and of course the private sector,” Marcos said.
He also assured the local officials the UniTeam will focus its government platform on agriculture.
“I don’t understand why agriculture has been neglected. It’s the foundation of the economy. As far as I know, no country can industrialize without land reform,” he explained.
“Second, there is no intensive agriculture. Our post-harvest (facilities) must be highly mechanized and complete. Our processing is complete. All of those things we all know ‘yun e. We just can’t. For whatever reason, we have not been a priority,” he stressed.
Marcos then assured the local officials that the UniTeam will make agriculture a top priority with special emphasis on banana production.