In light of the alleged smuggling of the produce from other nations, Senator Bong Go has voiced support for calls for a Senate investigation into the skyrocketing prices of onions.
“Ako po ay sang-ayon kung kailangang imbestigahan sa Senado ‘yung nakakabahalang pagtaas ng presyo ng sibuyas,” Go said in an interview after personally aiding fire victims in Parañaque City recently.
“Naghain na po ng resolution si Senator Imee Marcos para imbestigahan po ang pagtaas ng presyo ng sibuyas at kung kailangan pong imbestigahan, imbestigahan natin ito sa Senado,” the legislator added.
Senate Resolution No. 350 filed by Marcos cited the Department of Agriculture’s Administrative Circular No. 09 which sets the suggested retail price for red onions in Metro Manila at PhP170 per kilogram.
But despite the price ceiling, the lady senator noted that onions continued to be expensive at public markets.
Meanwhile, Go cited Republic Act No. 10845, also known as the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Law, which could penalize anyone found to be guilty of economic sabotage.
“‘Yung Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Law, posibleng economic sabotage po ito kung saka-sakaling mapatutunayan na malalaking volume po ang involved.”
“At mayroon tayong batas, ‘yung Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Law, posibleng economic sabotage po ito kung saka-sakaling mapatutunayan na malalaking volume po ang involved,” the lawmaker said.
According to the DA’s price monitoring, the going rate for locally grown red onions as of Tuesday was P500 per kilo, up 150% from P200 a year earlier.
The DA noted that the price of onions has surged to P600 per kilo in some public markets, which is double the price from last month.
In the meantime, the senator appealed to the executive department to look into any anomaly that may be contributing to the skyrocketing prices of onions, noting that the commodity is commonly used by Filipinos.
“Ang apela ko lang po sa Executive Department, sa Bureau of Customs, Department of Agriculture, sa executive branch, sa DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), i-monitor n’yo po nang mabuti dahil marami po ang apektado dito,” he said.
“Nakakabahala po ito. Importante po walang nakakalusot na illegal smuggling ng mga sibuyas,” Go added.
He also reissued his call for the government to prioritize the welfare of small farmers and agricultural workers as he emphasized the need to eliminate agricultural smuggling, which has adverse impacts on the livelihoods of Filipino farmers nationwide.
“Proteksyunan po natin, protektahan natin ang ating mga local farmers.”
“Proteksyunan po natin, protektahan natin ang ating mga local farmers. Unahin po natin ang ating mga farmers. Kapakanan po ng ating mga farmers ang unahin natin dahil sila po ang may binubuhay na mga pamilyang Pilipino,” Go stressed.
“Ako naman bilang legislator ay handa akong tumulong sa ating local farmers na pigilan po ito kung saka-sakali mang mayroong mga illegal smuggling po ng sibuyas,” he concluded.
