Young Farmers Open Letter Entry #3: Karl Bryan Espiritu, Philippines

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I am Bryan, 23-years old, from the Philippines. I am the eldest son of a farming family. My mother Maricel has been a widow for 14 years now. She tills two hectares of rice farm.

In 2018, we joined the DICADI Agriculture Cooperative (DACO). For more than a year now, I have been a volunteer worker in the cooperative. As a member of DACO, I attend meetings and work in a production cluster. These exposures made me realize that farmers are a dying breed. Most farmers discourage their children to go into farming because of the difficulties it entails.

I consider three challenges in agriculture and food security that are needed to be addressed by the government: the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), youth involvement in agriculture, availability of agricultural land, and upholding the tenurial rights of young farmers. These are my recommended solutions for these challenges:

  1. Repel RTL- rice as the staple food of the Filipinos must be secured by the Filipinos themselves
  2. Enact HB 1997 Magna Carta of Young Farmers and HB 5280-Young Farmers Challenge Act
  3. Pass the National Land Use Act (NLUA)

It is my right and responsibility to advocate for the resolution of agriculture concerns. If these recommendations are approved, I will devote my future to feeding the nation.

Karl Bryan Espiritu
Philippines

Ako si Bryan, 23 taong gulang, panganay at kabilang sa pamilyang magsasaka. Ako ang katuwang ng aking inang 14 taon ng balo sa pagsasaka ng aming 2 ektaryang palayan. Naging miyembro ng DICADI Agriculture Cooperative noong 2018.

Sa mga taong nagdaan ako ay nagboluntaryo sa kooperatiba, kasama sa mga pagpupulong at nakadaupang palad ang kapwa magsasaka. Ang mga karanasang ito ang nagmulat sa akin na ang mga magsasaka ay tumatanda na at ayaw nilang pagsakahin ang kanilang mga anak. Mayroong tatlong mabibigat na pagsubok ang agrikultura at seguridad sa pagkain sa gitna ng Covid-19 ito ay nga mga sumusunod: ang Rice Tariffication Law, ang kabataan sa agrikultura, ang pagpapahalaga sa sakahang lupa at karapatan ng kabataang magsasaka.

Buong kabababang loob akong sumulat upang hilingin na;

1.    Ipawalang-bisa ang RTL- Filipino ang dapat magtanim ng ating pagkain.

2.    Isabatas ang HB 1997- Magna Carta of Young Farmers at HB-5280 Young Farmers Challenge Act

3.    Ipasa ang National Land Use Act (NLUA)

Tungkulin at responsibilidad nating isulong ang solusyon sa problemang kinakaharap ng agrikultura. Ang aksyon ng mga mambabatas sa panawagang ito ay magsisilbing inspirasyon sa akin, itatalaga ko ang aking kinabukasan sa pagsasaka para sa bayan.

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APFP-FO4APhilippinesRiceYoung Farmers Open Letter ContestYouth

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