MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Kiko Pangilinan pressed for an investigation on the alleged overimportation of onions and other agricultural commodities amid increased prices of basic food items.
The senator was recently reinstated as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform under the Gatchalian-led "new" majority bloc.
Sen. Camille Villar had been designated agriculture panel head under the "old" majority bloc led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. So far, Villar has not contested Pangilinan's planned public hearing on the matter.
Pangilinan said the inquiry is needed amid growing concerns over the impact of excessive imports on local farmers and food producers.
He joined the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Plant Industry on Wednesday in inspecting a shipment of 26 20-foot containers loaded with imported red onions worth about P86 million but were abandoned at the Manila International Container Port.
The committee also wanted to investigate reports that some traders are blocking farmers’ and fisherfolk’s access to cold storage facilities.
"Nire-reserba yung cold storage para wala nang access sa cold storage yung local farmers [They are] reserving cold storage [facilities] so that local farmers have no access [to them],” Pangilinan said.