“Long-term solution needed in Mndanao” — Magsaysay, Jr.

PRESS RELEASE

Ramon Magsaysay Jr. wants a long term solution to the problem of Mindanao. The former senator said this will be his priority once the Filipino electorate returns him to the Senate.

Looking beyond the aftermath of the Sulu Sultanate’s claim to Sabah, Magsaysay said the Muslim insurgency in Sulu, Basilan and other parts of Mindanao is deeply rooted in the prevailing poverty of the people in those areas.

“It isn’t just a law and order or separatist insurgency problem of our Muslim brothers in the South,” said Magsaysay. He traced the decades-long neglect of Mindanao since the American occupation and previous administrations as factors that contributed to the festering problem.

What he envisions for Mindanao, Magsaysay said, is more than just a pipe dream but a comprehensive agriculture-based economic program to alleviate their living condition.

“This will involve tremendous funding resources, but I intend to harness all my efforts to get the budget from government through the legislative process, said the senatorial candidate who’s running under the ruling Liberal Party of President Benigno Aquino III.

Exuding his can-do spirit, Magsaysay said his Mindanao agri- economic plan would include the following basic components: seed money or capital for farmers, fertilizers, irrigation, farm to market feeder roads, strengthening of rural banks and cooperatives, warehouses for storage of harvested and milled rice

It will be recalled that Jun Magsaysay, as chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture was the one who investigated the Php 728- million fertilizer scam during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The Magsaysay committee conclusive report found culpable former Agriculture Secretary Cite Lorenzo and his assistant Jock Joc Bolante. Their case is now with the Sandiganbayan.

Recalling his father, former President Ramon Magsaysay’s basic belief of “those who have less in life, must have more in law,” Jun is driven to help the poor earn a livelihood and he believes that the way is back to basics– agriculture.

While on a self-imposed leave from the Senate, Jun Magsaysay was a gentleman farmer who managed a dairy farm in Laguna. He has left the management of his successful dairy business to his son Pace, given the rigorous and demanding time on the political campaign trail.

Although his passion for agriculture is well known, Magsaysay, Jr. has an engineering degree from De La Salle and also studied business management in Harvard and New York. He pioneered the cable industry and e-commerce in the Philippines.