The militant Kilusang Mabubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) expressed its approval of the resignation of Department of Agriculture Sec. Luisito Lorenzo. According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, “we welcome Sec. Lorenzo’s resignation because he has done nothing to uplift the lives of farmers and the to protect our agricultural sector from the onslaught of foreign agricultural products during his term in the department,”
“If you ask us, his replacement should be anyone who will truly serve the farmers and whose loyalty is to the peasant sector and not to Gloria, so Arthur Yap has to be careful because we are watching him,” added Ramos.
During Lorenzo’s time in the Department of Agriculture, the deluge of foreign agricultural products in our country increased drastically. In rice alone, in 2000 the balance of trade is 638,560 metric tons and in 2001 it rose to 808,220 metric tons. His ownership of an agricultural company also comes in the ambit of conflict of interest when he accepted the job as D.A. secretary.
“It is about time that Lorenzo resigns, because basically he has not done his job, he is more of an absentee secretary rather than a performing one and when he does perform it is to the detriment of the agricultural sector. Furthermore his supposed promotion as chair of the Land Bank of the Philippines and Quedancor will also be met with protests because he has done nothing to improve our plight  ” added Ramos.
 “But this “Trip to Jerusalem” of Cabinet secretaries should be seen as another ploy of Malacanang to project itself as fresh and new, though it is still composed of the same old and dirty bureaucrats which will do nothing to uplift our lives,” concluded Ramos. # # #
 

KMP - 9 July 2004