No choice but to import as Marcos’ hands ‘tied’ due to inflation — Zubiri

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 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.

“Kaya naintindihan ko rin po ang Presidente kapag sinabi niya na kailangan natin mag-import ng asukal, kailangan po natin mag-import ng pagkain dahil minsan napakamahal ng locally-produced,” he said.

“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 added.

Zubiri emphasized 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 toensure that the prices in the market are controlled.

“Kaya nga ang sabi ko sa DTI at sa DA maglabas kayo ng SRP, ng suggested retail price. Tingnan mo kaya di nako-confirm ‘to si Pascual,” Zubiri said.

“Secretary Pascual, inflation is in your department. Alam mo mahal kita pero kailangan mo mag-double time,” he added.

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 8.0% in November 2022 — the fastest since November 2009’s 9.1% and surpassing the 14-year high of 7.7% 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.

“It’s best to wait and see. Malapit na ang anihan ng ating mga magsasaka at magpapatuloy ito hanggang Abril. Kung maganda ang ani tulad noong nakaraang taon, baka hindi naman kailangan na 22,000 metric tons ang sibuyas na aangkatin,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Baka naman pwedeng kalahati lamang ng authorized amount ni Presidente ang dapat ma-import, lalo na kung maging masagana ang makukuha natin sa Nueva Ecija at Mindoro. Pwede namang hindi itodo,” she added.

Hontiveros also said that the importation came in too late as the authorization came after the Christmas season.

“The importation is obviously being done belatedly. The imports should have been authorized 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.

“Kailangang magkaroon na ng supply ng sibuyas at kailangang bumaba na ang presyo. Pero, dapat makatarungan rin naman ang ang farm gate price para makabawi at makabangon ang mga magsasaka. Wala namang crop insurance mula sa DA-[Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation] ang mga nagtatanim ng sibuyas,” she said.

The senator further said the Bureau of Plant Industry and the DA should improve their data collection on onions, emphasizing that limited data could lead to rash decisions.

“Limitado ang datos ng DA ukol sa lawak at laki ng ani mula sa mga taniman ng sibuyas. Kaya hindi malayong mabago pa ang 22,000 metric tons na iniutos ni Presidente. Huwag muna tayong magpadala sa ‘ramdam sampling’. Maghunos dili muna,” she said.—AOL, GMA Integrated News

No choice but to import as Marcos’ hands ‘tied’ due to inflation — Zubiri
Source: Filipino Viral News PH