Senator Bong Go has urged the need for stricter enforcement of the government’s initiatives to implement a suggested retail price for onions as a way to protect consumers from unreasonable price increase.
In an ambush interview after aiding residents in Pasig City, Go expressed concern that prices in some parts of Metro Manila remain high as he called on the Department of Trade and Industry to monitor and enforce standard retail prices.
“Trabaho po ng ating DTI na i-check talaga ang presyo at kung maaari kasuhan po ang mga lumalabag.”
“Nababalitaan natin, meron pong mga as high as P200 per kilo dyan po sa Guadalupe Market sa Makati, sa Marikina sa Mega Q Mart po sa Quezon City. At trabaho po ng ating DTI na i-check talaga ang presyo at kung maaari kasuhan po ang mga lumalabag,” the legislator said.
To address the issue, the lawmaker proposed investigating possible hoarding or stockpiling activities that may contribute to the price increase.
“Bakit mataas ang presyo? Baka mataas din ang bili nila, ‘yung puhunan nila. Bakit mataas? Maaari bang merong nagho-hoard, meron bang nagtatago ng supply kaya tumataas ang presyo. ‘Yun ang dapat silipin,” the senator pointed out.
He called upon law enforcement agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Customs to diligently enforce the law.
“By cracking down on those who exploit the system, the rights and welfare of ordinary Filipino citizens can be protected.”
By cracking down on those who exploit the system, Go said that the rights and welfare of ordinary Filipino citizens can be protected.
Earlier, in an ambush interview after personally aiding poor residents in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, he also stressed the importance of apprehending and prosecuting those involved in smuggling activities and price manipulation that allow them to sell onions at higher prices.
Invoking the Anti-Smuggling Law, Go cited the need to impose stricter penalties, including imprisonment, on offenders who exploit the market and violate the established price ceiling.
By demanding that individuals involved in onion price manipulation face substantial penalties, he hopes to discourage such exploitative practices and protect consumers’ interests.
“Yung talagang nagsasamantala, totohanang hulihin, ikulong, kasuhan. ‘Yan po ang pakiusap ko sa gobyerno,” Go urged.
The Department of Agriculture recently implemented price regulations on wholesale onions. These limits are based on the “cold storage price” and are set at P115 per kilogram for red onions and P100 per kilogram for white onions.
To meet the domestic demand, the DA has also authorized traders to import 22,000 metric tons of onions.
