The Department of Agriculture (DA) has defended its move to import 200,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar and 200,000 MT of galunggong, saying that its attached agencies' data showed supply deficiency of sugar and fish nationwide. (Screenshot from PTV) DA Sec. William Dar disclosed that the...
House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate wants the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to look into the Department of Agriculture's (DA) alleged pro-important policy for what he described as "economic sabotage". (Office of Bayan Muna...
Importation is not the solution to stabilize the price of fish in the market, an official of the fisher’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) reiterated on Sunday, Feb. 13. “Hindi totoo na ang importation ang solusyon para ma-stabilize natin ‘yung presyo...
Vice presidential aspirant Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan assured that smugglers in the fisheries sector and "mafia-style" operations in the importation of round scad or "galunggong" will be dismantled in a Robredo-Pangilinan administration. Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan Pangilinan issued...
Aspiring vice president Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan did not mince his words when he criticized the decision of the government to import sugar amid milling season, saying "this is not right." (Photo courtesy of LENI-KIKO 2022) Addressing the crowd during his visit in Balayan, Batangas with...
Senators on Thursday, February 10, chided the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agency, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), for their dependence on fish importation to address purported fish shortage that only supposedly benefit the rich. Senator Cynthia Villar, Senate...
Importation is a lazy solution to the issue of food shortage, senatorial candidate Herbert Bautista said on Tuesday, February 8. Bautista, a former Quezon City mayor, pointed this out as he expressed disappointment over the Department of Agriculture's (DA) decision to greenlight the importation of...
If she wins the presidency in May 2022, Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday, Jan. 31, said she will change the importation mindset and do so only when there is an actual shortage of products essential to Filipinos. Vice President Leni Robredo (OVP photo) This is possible if the country...
As government’s plan to import pelagic fishes faced strong criticism, House Deputy Speaker and Buhay partylist Rep. Lito Atienza said this Department of Agriculture decision can be placed on the backdrop of President Rodrigo Duterte’s failure to deliver on a campaign promise. Rep. Lito Atienza3...
The Department of Finance believes the Philippines should continue to import pork as the local hog industry has yet to recover from the African swine (ASF) outbreak. Finance Undersecretary and Chief Economist Gil S. Beltran said on Thursday, Jan. 13, that the country “definitely” needs to...
The Philippine agriculture sector has been most neglected under the Duterte Administration, with stakeholders mostly bearing the brunt of the government’s pro-importation policy, a group alleged. Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) Chairman Rosendo So said this government is “brutally...
Farmers and fishermen fear the worst if more imported food will enter the Philippines next year, asking the government for a more pro-producer policy when it comes to food security and availability. In a briefing hosted by food security Tugon Kabuhayan, Raul Montemayor, national manager at...
