MANILA: President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (pic) has no choice but to allow the importation of agricultural products amid the high prices of local produce to control inflation in the Philippines, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday.
At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Zubiri also explained the need to empower the farmers in the country as he noticed the huge difference between the farm gate price and the market price of different produce.
He cited the price of sugar, as an example, which is being sold at P50 to P55 per kilogram by farmers yet it is being sold at around P90 per kilogram in the markets.
“If the President needs to bring down inflation, then it pains me to say this bilang isang agriculturist, we have to look at the greater good of the country. We can’t allow runaway inflation...Mapepwersahan talaga ang Pangulo. His hands are tied,” he said.
Zubiri emphasised the need to find a “right price” for the producers and the consumers so it could bring a win-win situation for the local farming industry and the economy.
“What we want to do is to help the farmers look for a sweet spot...We have to help the farmers and help the people as well because we cannot sell expensive products to the consumers. That is inflationary,” he said.
He then called out Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, noting that the role of the Department of Trade and Industry is to ensure that the prices in the market are controlled.
“Secretary Pascual, inflation is in your department. Alam mo mahal kita pero kailangan mo mag-double time,” Zubiri said.
Pascual’s appointment was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments after the Congress adjourned its session last December for the Christmas break.
Inflation surged to 8.0pc in November 2022 — the fastest since November 2009’s 9.1pc and surpassing the 14-year high of 7.7pc recorded in October, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported last December.
Several senators have already expressed their dismay over the government’s continuous importation of agricultural products as they raise their concern for the local farmers.
One of them is Senator Risa Hontiveros who asked the government to observe the production of onion in the country first before allowing the importation of almost 22,000 metric tons of onions.
On Tuesday, the Department of Agriculture allowed the importation of 21,060 metric tons of onions to fill a supply gap and arrest the continuous spike in the price of the commodity in the market.
Hontiveros also said that the importation came in too late as the authorisation came after the Christmas season.
“The importation is obviously being done belatedly. The imports should have been authorised two months ago in time for the holidays. This error is unforgivable. The BPI and the DA wrongly predicted that the December domestic supplies would be enough to cover the demand,” she said.
Further, the senator prodded the administration to help Filipino farmers recover from the bad weather that destroyed crops last year.
The senator further said the Bureau of Plant Industry and the DA should improve their data collection on onions, emphasising that limited data could lead to rash decisions.
* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss.
* Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
