Surprise: Young Ilocos Norte Gov MJ Marcos Manotoc Knows Good Governance, Minds Farmers’ Agribusiness!

Agdayawak kenni Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc ta matarusanna iti salun-at ti daga. I give honor to young Manotoc for understanding soil health. More, I much appreciate that he knows the business of agriculture!

Above image shows him addressing the “10-Ha Hybrid Rice Model Farm Harvest Festival Cum Techno Forum” 04 March 2020 at Laoag City (06-03-2020, Leilani G Adriano, “Ilocos Norte Rice Farmers Urged To Diversify Crops,” PNA.gov.ph). He is urging farmers “to shift to (other) high-value crops (HVC) and engage in agribusiness to increase productivity.” This was when 34 farmer-cooperators harvested a high average 8.6t/ha at the rice model farm sponsored by hybrid rice companies.

Mr Manotoc’s message: High yield of hybrid rice is good – the returns from other HVCs make it much better!

Also from Laoag City, Ms Leilanie says (10-01-2022, “Ilocos Norte Sets P6-M to Improve Soil Health,” PNA.gov.ph):

The province… earmarked PHP6 million for the purchase of organic fertilizers and soil conditioners to help farmers restore soil health conditions and ensure a good quality harvest. Ma Theresa Bacnat, Officer-In-Charge of the Provincial Agriculture Office… said improving soil fertility is among the achievements of the agriculture sector under (Gov Manotoc).

As an agriculturist (UP '65) and in the last 21 years a wide-ranging roamer of the Internet for subjects to blog, I say a provincial governor appreciating soil fertility enough to allot P6,000,000 public funds for organic fertilizers tells me Mr Manotoc truly cares about agriculture that enriches soils and farmers naturally!

About healthy soils, Ms Adriano says:

While the province remains one of the top producers of palay and garlic, among others, Manotoc said farmers can have a better chance to earn more if they have a healthy and productive farm lot while minimizing the use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides in the long run.

In Ilocos Norte, long live organic farming!

Mr Manotoc is competitive when it comes to Ilocos Norte’s farmers and their rice produce.

“We are not producing enough relative to the land (size),” (Mr Manotoc) said, underscoring the need to assist more farmers to acquire farm machinery, improve soil fertility, and undertake clustering for the mass production of other high-value crops.

I especially note: (1) acquiring farm machinery, (2) improving soil fertility, and (3) farm clustering for growing other HVCs. Mr Manotoc has imbibed the mantra of “OneDA” serving millions of farmers, under Secretary of Agriculture William Dar, head of the Department of Agriculture (DA) with its attached agencies.

Under the Ilocos Norte government’s soil restoration program, the agriculture office continues to advocate good agricultural practices… Instead of burning farm wastes, farmers are encouraged to collect these and let them decay (into) humus. Humus is known to improve soil structure and drainage as it holds moisture and provides nutrients to the soil.

On his part, Gov MJ Marcos Manotoc is providing rich natural nutrients to the impoverished soil of provincial governance in the Philippines! Although from another province, Pangasinan, as an Ilocano with my grandfather’s La Union origins, I am “Ilocano Proud.”@517