About to return extension workers to DA

By Rose de la Cruz

Ever since the devolution of agriculture extension workers to the local government units under the Local Government Code of 1991, these civil servants— who have been much help to the farmers in previous years– have not learned much, or were barely used by the LGUs to further agricultural development in their jurisdictions.

More often than not, the agri extension workers performed tasks that were not related to farming hence the waste of funds that were transfered to LGUs since 1991.

Under RA 7160 transferred all the power, resources and responsibilities from the national government (Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Agricultural Extension) to LGUs. Good thing, the DA through the Agriculture Training Institute, was retained with DA otherwise extension training for farmers would have also been abandoned.

The law did not just devolve agriculture extension, but also health services, forest management (which is why now we see only few remaining forests because most LGUs have caused the deforestation), social welfare and barangay roads to LGUs. 

Even in major urban centers like Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao and other megacities, the devolution has resulted in the retardation of such devolved services because most of the funds dedicated for them were used by LGUs for other purposes, they deemed more necessary for their areas.

So now, the Federation of Free Farmers– whose field and office staff are in constant touch with peasants in remote areas– is now advocating for the return of 25,000 agricultural extension workers to the DA, the Philippine Star reported.

The FFF and the Magsasaka Partylist said the devolution under the 1991 LGU Code has resulted in a “structural disconnect” in implementing the programs of DA by the LGUs. Agricultural inputs and financial assistances by the DA has become a source of funds to be milked by LGUs because of the devolution. In the end, farmers do not directly benefit from such aids and inputs that pass through the LGUs and which they distribute to only their select farmers.

“The removal of DA’s direct line supervision over the field extension force has caused the delayed delivery of seeds, fertilizer, technical and other support services to the country’s ten million farmers. It has badly hampered the effective execution and monitoring of national programs for the rural sector. All this has led to food production shortfalls and higher prices,” said FFF chairman (former DA Secretary)  Leonardo Montemayor.

Magsasaka party-list president Argel Joseph Cabatbat said farm programs in provinces, cities and municipalities are neglected as governors and mayors give low priority to agriculture.

Cabatbat added that many agricultural workers are assigned as drivers, security guards and similar duties instead of visiting farmers in their fields and preventing the spread of plant and animal diseases like the African swine fever (ASF). 

“Even the registration and selection of recipients of cash, farm inputs and equipment subsidies from the national government have been politicized,” he added.

Montemayor pointed out that devolution has curtailed the pay, career advancement and other incentives being enjoyed by rural extensionists when they were DA employees.

“Once re-nationalized, farm technicians will receive substantially bigger compensation and benefits from a ladderized promotion system,” Montemayor said.

Senate President Francis Escudero and DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. have agreed to work together for the re-nationalization of the agriculture sector after many of its services were devolved to the LGUs. 

Escudero recalled that the programs related to the agriculture sector were devolved after the passage of the Local Government Code of 1991.

Tiu Laurel said the reversion of the functions would allow the DA to immediately implement its programs down to the barangay level and make the process “simpler” to achieve the government’s goals.