The FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list is advocating for comprehensive land use and infrastructure reform to bolster local food production and ensure national food security. Brian Poe Llamanzares, the party-list’s first nominee, stressed the urgent need for legislation to resolve conflicting laws and policies on land use.
Llamanzares emphasized the critical importance of preserving prime agricultural lands for sustainable farming, arguing against further conversion or reclassification. He highlighted the shrinking size of agricultural lands as a major concern. Data from the National Irrigation Authority reveals that 620,399 hectares of irrigation service areas were converted to non-agricultural uses between 2012 and 2022, with Central Luzon experiencing the most significant loss.
A University of Santo Tomas study underscored the negative environmental consequences of agricultural land conversion, citing increased landslides, erosion, pollution, and climate change, ultimately impacting the livelihoods of Filipino farmers.
Furthermore, the FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list intends to propose a comprehensive review of the coco levy fund to ensure transparent management and equitable distribution of benefits to coconut farmers. The party-list believes this reform is crucial for the sustainability of the coconut industry.
