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Tagbilaran City, Bohol — A visiting solon eyeing a Senate seat in the 2010 election is pushing for the development of the orchard industry.
“Orchard development would be the best alternative,” Rep. Rodolfo Plaza said in arguing for his pet proposal to solve the economic crisis in the country.
An orchard is an area of land dedicated to the cultivation of fruit and nut trees.
Plaza, who represents the lone district of Agusan del Sur, arrived in Tagbilaran City and stayed overnight as part of his provincial rounds on the possibility of a Senate bid.
Plaza said that middle-class entrepreneurs could gain much from orchard development.
“If you talk about a strong economy, you should have a strong middle class,” he stressed.
Since there are areas not conducive for rice production, a shift to high value agro-industrial products is in order, according to Plaza.
“Conservatively, 12-year-old lonkong lanzones can easily earn P1 million per hectare. Pomelo easily can earn P1 million per hectare. You earn P1 million per hectare, that's not bad for the economy,” he pointed out.
Longkong is a lanzones variety introduced from Thailand and Malaysia.
Plaza, a scion of one of a landed and prominent political clan in Mindanao, said he would make orchard development his priority if he made it to the Senate.
“That is my dream, to file a bill for the establishment of the Orchard Development Authority,” he said.
Although he was named among the probable bets in the slate of former president Joseph Estrada, Plaza was evasive when asked about his party affiliation.
He was interviewed a day after the former president officially declared his second bid for the presidency in Tondo.
“I will support any administration that will support good governance and the fight against corruption,” according to Plaza, vice chairman of the House committee on the welfare of children.
Plaza also expressed confidence that as a Mindanaoan and a Visayan, he would get the support of southern Philippines if he decided to run for senator.
