Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has asked the government to consider giving farmers and traders discounts on toll fees to help speed up deliveries and reduce the soaring prices of food.

Recto on Monday, February 8, said a "pandemic-time-only" discount in the fees paid by farmers-traders at expressways could be considered as a measure to address to delays and other problems in the movement of food products across the country.

He said the transportation issues also contribute to the increase in the prices of commodities.

"So they won’t be clogging the parallel free public roads," he said in a statement.

"Kung magiging permanente for certain type of byaheros na merong season’s pass, mas mabuti (If this will be made permanent for certain types of transporters who have season's passes, then it will be better)," he added.

Recto issued the statement after meat vendors in several markets in Metro Manila went on a "holiday" and stopped selling to protest the government's imposition of a 60-day price ceiling on pork and chicken products in the region.

He appealed to officials of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, and the Philippine National Police to conduct a "field audit" of food transport.

He said some "road obstructions" must be removed, such as the "unnecessary permanent and pop-up checkpoints" being run by national and local agencies.

"Ang mga byahero, kailangang dumaan sa maraming (Transporters have to pass through several) flying and fixed checkpoints along the countryside-to-city food routes. And sadly, many of these have become mulcting stations by people who treat these food trucks as a buffet on wheels," the senator lamented.

While noting that some checkpoints are essential for food safety, like those that would prevent the transport of meat infected with African Swine Fever, Recto said other checkpoints are not necessary and relevant to the (novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation.

“'Yong iba na pinapara ang jeep ng mag-gugulay para tingnan kung madumi ang tambutso nito, ‘yan ay hindi kailangan sa panahon ng pandemya (Some flag down jeeps carrying vegetable just to check their exhaust pipes and emissions , those are not necessary during a time of pandemic)" he said, referring to the checkpoints managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local government units under the Clean Air Act.

The same is true with checkpoints whose sole purpose is to check if a vehicle has the necessary quarantine permits to transport its contents through cities and provinces, Recto added.

He said food trucks are also delayed by apprehensions for traffic violations.