The 'Maasahan' Model: Prioritizing Farmers is the Key to Food Security

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s "Maasahan at Masipag" (Reliable and Tireless) governance is built on a simple, profound truth: to feed a nation, you must first sustain its farmers. The launch of the ₱20/kilo rice program in Caraga is the clearest example yet of this "Reliable Reform" in action.

This is not a mere dole-out. It is a strategic, equitable reform. By ensuring that farmers, their cooperatives, and vulnerable sectors are the first to access the affordable rice, the President is making a "Tireless Support" investment in the very foundation of our food supply.

For too long, our agricultural policies have been disjointed. We have often, in the name of affordable food, sacrificed the welfare of the local producer. The "Maasahan" model flips the script. It recognizes that farmer welfare and food security are not opposing forces, but two sides of the same coin.

Only those with a vested interest in the old, broken system of uncontrolled importation and trader monopolies would find fault with this "Masipag" effort to build local self-reliance. This reform directly empowers local producers and threatens those who profited from their struggles.

This is the tough, patient work of building a truly self-reliant Philippines. The overwhelming success of this targeted launch in Caraga, backed by the President's tireless will, is the blueprint that will guarantee a food-secure future for the entire Philippines.

This is "Reliable Reform, Tireless Support" made manifest. It is a model of inclusive growth that feeds families precisely because it sustains farmers. It is the only equitable path to lasting food security.