Ramdam ang Kaunlaran?

Government Policy For Agriculture

• Fake Agrarian Reform (CARP)
• "Food Security" through import liberalization (not production)
• Philippines= World's 2nd Biggest Importer of Rice
• Land use conversion, crop conversion
• withdrawal of subsidies and state support (irrigation, research and extension service, etc.)

Result: Agriculture Decline

Structural Roots

• Land monopolized by a few (while 70% of peasants are landless)
• trading (of produce and inputs) monopolized by comprador- landlords in the rural areas
• Global markets for inputs monopolized by agrochem TNCs
• Export markets dominated by TNC traders

and GMA's Response: Buy political support through

• severely inadequate subsidies: P11-15 Million that will not go to the neediest: NCR has the lowest poverty incidence in the country but 50% of GMA's "subsidies" are to be distributed in the NCR (where her approval ratings are the lowest).
• Meant to legitimize VAT collection: "Katas ng VAT"= source of corruption: * Fertilizer scam: Fertilizer fund for Metro Manila Farmers? and so many other unresolve cases of graft under GMA.

SUMMARY:

• Economic dominance of foreign monopoly capital
• Tiny local elite composed of big landlords and businessmen
• domination and exploitation is made worse by policies of neoliberal globalization.
• administrative predator practices.

...notes from thr forum about the possibilities of 2008 SONA of GMA at Little Theater, UP Manila