The government will go after smugglers and hoarders of agricultural commodities that unreasonably jack up the prices, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday, stressing that their days are numbered.
“Isa sa mga dahilan ng pagtaas ng presyo ay ang mga smugglers, mga hoarders at nagmamanipula ng presyo ng produktong agrikultural,” President Marcos said during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Batasang Pambansa, as he vowed to file cases against them.
“Pandaraya ang kanilang ginagawa. Napapahamak hindi lamang ang mga magsasaka, kundi tayo na ring mga mamimili. Kaya hindi natin papayagan ang ganitong kalakaran. Bilang na ang mga araw ng mga smugglers at hoarders na ‘yan.”
Early this month, President Marcos directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a thorough investigation to address the issue of onion smuggling in the country.
The President vowed to go after smugglers and hoarders, saying that their continued illegal activities make the lives of ordinary Filipinos miserable.
The administration has been focusing on improving the country’s agricultural productivity to ensure food security and wants farmers to adopt modern technologies and farming techniques.
The President said his administration will work with Congress to amend the Fisheries Code and the Cooperative Code with the goal of propping up fishery and farm productions.
Part of the government thrust is providing farmers with modern equipment and machineries, fertilizer, vegetable, corn and palay seeds.
“Bilang tulong sa mga magsasaka, namigay ang pamahalaan ng mahigit dalawampu’t walong libong mga makabagong makinarya at mga kagamitan sa iba’t ibang dako ng Pilipinas,” Marcos said.
“Sa ilalim ng iba’t ibang mga programa ng Kagawaran ng Agrikultura, namigay ang pamahalaan ng mahigit na limampung milyong binhi ng palay, mahigit isang milyong binhi ng mais, at sari-saring mga binhi ng gulay,”
The government is also building more farm-to-market roads, cold storage facilities, and irrigation system to easily transport produce, mitigate spoilage and improve farm yield. PND
