THESIS PROPONENTS: RODEL C. ESGUERRA, KERWEN T. SESCON, & EDDIE MARIE R. TALENS
THESIS ADVISER: AR. GERALD L. DUEÑAS, UAP
PAMPANGA STATE UNIVERSITY (FORMER DON HONORIO VENTURA STATE UNIVERSITY)
YEAR OF THESIS DEFENSE: 2023
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture and Fisheries are the most basic and important sectors in a nation. It is the backbone of the economic system of a country. Agriculture is defined as the art and science of cultivating the earth, growing crops, and raising livestock. Meanwhile, DB Pedia Organization described fisheries as any activity or industry involved in taking, storing, preserving, transporting and selling fish products. Agri-fisheries are one of the most important sectors of society as it is the main source of food, clothing, and other basic human needs.
Over the centuries, the civilizations that emerged around the world were greatly contributed by the growth of agriculture and fisheries. The emergence of Agri fishery is one of the biggest contributing factors to the human's faster and larger population growth rate. Before agriculture and fishery were learned, the sources are limited because people only rely on hunting wild animals and searching for wild plants as their primary source of food and clothing. As time goes by and as the population of mankind continuously grows, people gradually learned and depended on their daily living on agriculture. The first recorded domesticated plant cultivated was rice or corn by Chinese farmers as early as 7500 BCE.
The history of Philippine agriculture and how it expanded is still argued by anthropologists as the exact date of its origin is still unknown. Moreover, in the Spanish regime, according to the Department of Agriculture, Modern Philippine agriculture became most visible to the outside world. That is the time when industries were encouraged and developed and supplied the major needs of the colonizer Spain and the other European customers for tobacco, sugar, and abaca (DA, 2022).
The Philippines, being an agricultural nation, still faces challenges when it comes to agriculture. The sector remained neglected also, due to various factors such as natural disasters and different social issues, and the potential that the agriculture sector once portrayed continued to vanish.
Data reveals that Central Luzon's, despite being one of the country's central agricultural domains, recorded declining performance and production, particularly among the land farmers and fisherfolks. The revitalization of the agriculture sector is seen to make a big impact in a community as it would secure food in unexpected national and global crises and most importantly, in the future where the climate and disasters continued to worsen.
According to the DA, Central Luzon is one of the pillars of the Philippines' Agri-fishery Industry as it is the top producer of agriculture and fisheries commodities. (RDP 3, 2017). The government initiates different programs to further support the sectors and expand the economic opportunities in Agriculture and Fisheries. The Philippines has been increasing its efforts in providing affordable and accessible food. The DA's goal is to uplift the Agri-fishery and ensure food security, which is often associated with self-sufficiency, especially for key food commodities such as rice, corn, livestock, and poultry, fishery resources will be more successful with the help of Community One Top Shops and Hubs. Moreover, Republic Act no. 8435, or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997, states that appropriate government agencies shall provide integrated services and information to prospective enterprises under the one-stop-shop concept.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Agriculture Industry in the Philippines has one of the country's biggest potentials. According to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (AFF) shared 4.7 percent of total GDP in 2022. Central Luzon, as one of the country's food baskets, faced an agricultural decline in 2020. This share reflects a 5.0% decline compared to the previous year. In terms of the country's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), Region III accounted for 11% or PHP1,880 billion in 2020. The regional share went down by 14% compared to the previous year.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) laid out the big challenges that have a significant impact on Philippine Agriculture. The current situation of COVID-19, the African Swine Fever (ASF), and the Ukraine-Russia war seriously affect the movement of agriculture from the importation of goods to fill the local production gap to the agricultural trade that helps to stimulate the economy of the country. The department also emphasized the distress of local production which cannot keep up with the rapid growth of population. There is a food imbalance in the country. According to Commission on Population Development, the Philippine population grew gradually to 1.31 percent in 2021, while the agriculture sector contracted by 1.71 percent in 2021. The data clearly stated that the growth rate surpass the food production of the country. To solve the imbalance, OneDA Reform Agenda laid strategies such as consolidation, modernization, industrialization, and professionalization, and its goal is to modernize and industrialize Philippine agriculture. The National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP) 2021-2030 mentioned the infrastructures and plans that are anticipated to contribute to sector-wide major outputs such as farmers' access to market, Agri-laboratories or Research and Development Facilities, and storage facilities in Central Luzon.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Agriculture, Agribusiness, Fisheries, and Export-Oriented & Crafts & Products Industries are some of the Investment priorities in the Region. The DTI wanted the Region III to be the industrial hub of the Asia-Pacific region, a transshipment hub, and a showcase for a thriving and competitive agriculture industry. The logical location for investments and leisure is Central Luzon. It combines the advantages of international and domestic airports, seaports, industrial and agricultural areas, tourism and leisure sites, support services, and major thoroughfares. The synergy of each of these components strengthens the region's advantages as a location for investments.
CONCLUSION
BuyAnihan Ville is relevant in helping the Department of Agriculture with its National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP), a 10-year strategic plan focusing on a long-term vision of commodity industry and agricultural infrastructure development in line with the Section 101 Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997 stating that appropriate government agencies shall provide integrated services and information to prospective enterprises under the one-stop-shop concept.
Moreover, "Smart Interactive Architecture" will be used in the overall planning and design of the structures. The promotion of smart buildings accompanied by interactive planning and design to be sustainable conform to the main goal of New Clark City.
The proposed project is an Agri-complex that will serve as a central place for different activities related to Agri-fisheries such as a trading center where farmers and fisherfolks can sell and promote their products; and interactive agriculturally and fisheries-based facilities for recreational activities where people may enjoy learning more about Agri-fisheries. Furthermore, the project will also offer a restaurant that will serve fresh and farm-to-table dishes, as well as social halls for social activities and educational seminars.
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