LEGAZPI CITY—Sen. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito stressed on the need to modernize agriculture by stopping smuggling and the use of nuclear power to address the country’s power needs during a recent visit here to hold a dialogue with the youth.
“We really need to modernize our agriculture, but we need to cut on the smuggling first. Our agriculture is dying because of smuggling,” he told a news conference here after the youth forum.
At the same media conference, Ejercito talked on the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), which he said should be revived to address the country’s power needs.
The youth forum, which delved on the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Reform Law, was held at the Ibalong Conference Room at the Legazpi City Hall compound here.
Ejercito, also chairman of the Senate economic affairs committee, introduced Senate Bill 2923, which gives stricter penalties on the illegal importation of agricultural products.
He said the measure, which provides for a fine of “twice the fair market value of the smuggled product and its corresponding amount of taxes, duties and other charges,” will be of great help to the Filipino farmers.
The lawmaker said the government should subsidize Filipino farmers so they could compete with farmers in Thailand and Cambodia.
Ejercito said that, by helping the farmers make the prices of their produce become more competitive, their families will be helped.