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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Wrong mentality? Solon tells NEDA to drop free trade-centric mindset as food prices soar 

Wrong mentality? Solon tells NEDA to drop free trade-centric mindset as food prices soar 

Published Apr 29, 2024 06:44 am

At A Glance

  • Iloilo 4th district Rep. Ferjenel Biron lectured the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Monday, April 29 on why its free trade-centric mindset can't help the country achieve food security. 
  • Biron is the new chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry.
  •  

Vegetables market.jpg(MANILA BULLETIN)

The new chairman of the House Committee on Trade and Industry lectured the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Monday, April 29 on why its free trade-centric mindset can't help the country achieve food security.

"Mindsetting kasi dito ang problema eh no (The problem here is mindset). So NEDA would always insist on free trade [with other countries]," Iloilo 4th district Rep. Ferjenel Biron said during a hearing of his panel on the high prices of basic goods despite the prevailing low farm gate prices.

"Pero dapat maging maingat tayo (But we should be careful) with what is happening in the world, with the conflict in Europe, in the Middle East," Biron told the agency.

"Food security should involve domestic investment...dapat mag-iba na yung mentalidad natin, yung mindset natin, na instead of being dependent on imports of food, dapat ang focus ng gobyerno with what is happening with all the wars happening right now, darating ang punto na hindi tayo makapag-import," warned the Iloilo lawmaker.

(We should change our mentality, we should change our mindset, that instead of being dependent on imports of food, the government should focus on with what is happening with all the wars happening right now, there might come a time that we won't be be able to import anymore.)

"Kasi (Because) these countries will now secure their own supply. So dapat ibahin na natin eh (So we should really change it)," said Biron, who recently replaced Batangas 5th district Rep. Marvey Mariño as committee chairman.

While Biron believes that free trade is good when it comes to other industries, this may not be the case with respect to food in the current geopolitical landscape.

"With respect to food, dapat tayo mismo dito (we should take action). Dito ang investment natin, domestic talaga ang investment natin (We should invest in it domestically) in the form of subsidies, in the form of providing technology, etc. And direct financing...direct access for financing by our farmers," he said.

No less than House Speaker Martin Romualdez called for the inquiry on the growing disparity between farm gate prices and retail prices, as he cited the plight of both local farmers and consumers.

HAVE YOU READ THIS?

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/24/romualdez-ordered-probe-on-huge-gap-between-farm-gate-and-retail-prices-makes-sense-for-young-guns

Biron further told NEDA that the world is very different now from just a couple of decades ago.

"Dapat ang NEDA should realize na hindi na to panahon na i-invoke mo talaga or i-insist natin yung free trade (NEDA must realize that this is not the time to really invoke or insist on free trade). Because what is happening in the world now is totally different from 10 or 20 years [ago]. Free trade [was] good at that time," he noted.

"No duty barrier, no trade barrier, lahat (everything). OK lang yun (That's OK). But now the reality is, we have to secure that our people have adequate food on their tables," said the Iloilo lawmaker.

Related Tags

National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) ferjenel biron free trade
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