The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is promoting “balanced fertilization” with the aim of increasing rice growth and production in the country, an official of the Department of Agricultural (DA) said on Friday.

in a press briefing at Malacanang, DA Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian said the department recently issued Memorandum Order No. 32 or Implementing Guidelines on the Distribution and Use of Biofertilizers to boost farmers’ productivity and rice output.

“Ang rice production natin dito sa Pilipinas, nakita natin nitong nakaraang taon, nagkaproblema tayo sa mataas na presyo ng fertilizers, iyong inputs. At nakita namin sa Department of Agriculture, kailangan nating hanapan ng paraan na hindi tayo masyadong umaasa sa imported na inorganic fertilizer,” Sebastian said.

“Isa pa, iyong kalidad ng ating lupa, noong tinitingnan ko, ina-analyze ko iyong situation natin dito sa Pilipinas, bagsak na rin ang soil fertility – iyong kalusugan ng lupa. Alam ito ng ating mga magsasaka. Kahit na buhos tayo nang buhos ng … mayroon tayong fertilizer subsidy, mayroon tayong certified seeds na pinamimigay, nakikita namin na hindi na masyadong umaangat kasi iyong kalusugan ng ating lupa ay bagsak na,” the DA official noted.

With the promotion of the “balanced fertilization,” Sebastian explained farmers would be using organic fertilizer as basal with biofertilizer to improve the growth of rice seedlings.

“At ang biofertilizer ay nagha-harvest din, iyong kumukuha ng nitrogen sa hangin o kaya sa lupa, at kinu-convert into nitrogen na nakukuha ng halaman. Pagkatapos meron pa ring additional na urea. So iyon ang sinasabi natin balanced fertilization,” Sebastian said.

“Balanced fertilization involves the use of organic fertilizer, biofertilizer, and inorganic fertilizer – combination iyan. So iyon ang ating programa na gusto nating ipalaganap at para ma-maintain natin ang production natin ng bigas dito sa Pilipinas. Kasi we have to make our rice production more sustainable not only today but also in the future,” he said.

Sebastian said the country’s continued use of inorganic fertilizer is “unsustainable” and the production is “plateauing.” He added the memorandum order was issued to avoid another “fertilizer scam” that dragged several DA regional directors into the anomalous transaction.

“Iyong memorandum na iyon ay para maiwasan natin iyong kinatatakutan natin na mga fertilizer scam na naman. Kasi iniiwasan natin iyong nangyari noong mga nakaraan, kasi alam na natin iyong leksyon niyan,” Sebastian said.

“So we don’t want a repeat of that fertilizer scam, that’s why we have developed this guideline so that we can have a fair, transparent and sure implementation o kaya iyong implementation natin ay maganda para ma-attain natin kung anuman iyong magandang outcome ng paggamit ng biofertilizer,” he added.

The scam involved the diversion of some Php728 million in fertilizer funds to the political campaign in 2004 general elections. (PND)