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  (STAR) By Jose Rodel Clapano - Pardoned former
President Joseph Estrada asked the Arroyo administration to prioritize the livelihood
program for the poor in the countryside to avoid another suicide case similar to Marianeth
Amper¶s, the girl who took her life in Davao City because of poverty.

In an interview last Tuesday with radio station dzBB anchored by Joel Reyes Zobel, Estrada
said he will campaign harder for his ³revolution against starving and poverty´ by
propagating the Carabao Law.

The law was Estrada¶s pet bill when he was a senator, which created the Carabao Center in
Nueva Ecija.

Estrada also asked the Arroyo administration to do something about the presence of the
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the New People¶s Army (NPA) in the countryside.

³We must give our less fortunate countrymen livelihood. When I was still president, I
realized that we cannot develop the countryside as long as the MILF, the NPA are there. The
reason why many of them left the countryside and trooped to the urban areas is because of
lack of livelihood. The government must concentrate on providing livelihood in the
countryside to encourage the less fortunate Filipinos to stay there,´ Estrada said.

He said since its passage, the Carabao Law has established carabao centers in Muñoz,
Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Bukidnon, Davao and in Zamboanga del Norte.

³The carabao center is a big boost to the livelihood of the Filipino farmers. The milk
produced by carabaos is capable of feeding malnourished children in the country,´ Estrada
said.

Estrada said the propagation of carabaos in the country will enable the government to stop
the importation of milk from Australia, which amounts to $450 million yearly.

³The $450 million worth of milk that we import from Australia is equivalent to more than
P30 billion. It will be a big help to our economy. P30 billion will be a big saving to our
government and we will be able to use it in building schoolrooms and hiring additional
teachers,´ he said.

Estrada said production of carabao milk will ensure jobs for poor farmers in the country.

³It will generate jobs. We can produce mozzarella (cheese) out of carabao milk, pastilles
and more. That is why I will concentrate on that first for my revolution against starving and
poverty,´ Estrada said.

Estrada said that aside from milk, he will also work for the establishment of a stable supply
of vegetables in the country, like upo, patola and pechay.
³I have already talked to some people from Taiwan and they agreed to donate seedlings.
These are my two priorities at present. To establish better production of milk and
vegetables to give livelihood to our poor countrymen in the countryside,´ Estrada said.

Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi

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