By Gabriela Baron
A group of peasant women urged on Wednesday, June 29, president-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to “hammer smugglers or economic saboteurs” amid the “worsening” vegetable smuggling in the country.
Last March, it was exposed in a Senate hearing that high-ranking government officials and politicians were allegedly involved in vegetable smuggling, involving those coming from China reaching a value of P539 million.
Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women said vegetable smuggling has resulted in the loss of livelihood and bankruptcy of many farmers, particularly from the Cordillera region, Nueva Ecija, and Occidental Mindoro.
“Kagyat na parusahan ang smugglers at suportahan ang mga magsasaka sa gulayan para sa pagpapaunlad ng produksyon at kanilang kabuhayan,” Cathy Estavillo, Amihan Secretary-General, said.
“Kawawa ang mga magsasaka ng carrots, cabbage, sibuyas, at marami pang iba. Patung-patong na problema ang kinaharap ng mga magsasaka sa gulayan, samantalang napakataas ng cost of production kung saan, napakataas ng presyo ng farm inputs, gasolina, at iba pa tapos lugi kapag anihan,” Estavillo lamented.
Aside from holding the smugglers accountable and stopping the smuggling, Estavillo said Marcos should also provide product subsidies, including the farm inputs and post-harvest facilities to farmers.
Marcos, who will head the Agriculture department, earlier said he will focus on the country’s food supply chain which he said, has been affected by “outside forces” such as the Ukraine-Russia war. – ag
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