Villar bares committee recommendations to arrest price manipulation in onions, other agricultural products

Sen. Cynthia Villar presented to the Senate plenary the report of the Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, on the issue of rising market prices of onions.

Highlighted in the report is the need to amend Republic Act No. 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 to include profiteering, hoarding and smuggling in its list of crimes involving economic sabotage.

"The amendment should be explicit and express and will leave no room for the implementers to interpret the intent and spirit of the law otherwise through implementing rules and regulations," Villar said.

To protect not only the onion industry but also the entire agricultural sector, the committee recommends the establishment of an "Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force." A special court was also proposed to specifically try and hear economic sabotage cases with a special team of prosecutors.

Villar said the special court will give the task force the muscle to bring smugglers, profiteers and hoarders to justice and ensure preferential attention to cases of economic sabotage.

As for importation, Villar said the committee recommendation is for approval of importation permits to be "logically scheduled so as not to impede and completely compete with local production and harvest."

"The import volume must be correctly established and such must be only for purposes of providing the needed supply in the market. Ayaw na po nating makitang nagtatapon ng sibuyas ang mga farmers natin dahil sa sobrang baba ng presyo dulot ng maling timing ng importasyon," Villar stressed.

The agriculture committee chairperson said she filed Senate Bill No. 1962, which seeks to amend RA10845 and Senate Bill No. 1963 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Courts Act of 2023.

"With the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force and Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Court in place, we will have a watchdog in the agricultural sector to ensure that whoever manipulates the price of agricultural commodities to the detriment of the small farmers and consumers, will be brought to justice accordingly. Gone are the days when we are always at the mercy of these cartels," she said.

According to the Department of Agriculture-Price Monitoring Office, from July to August 2022, the price of local red onion jumped from P90 to P140 pesos; and by October, to P200 pesos. The price of onions in Metro Manila in December 2022 ranged from P600 to P700.

Villar, inihayag ang panukala ng committee para pigilan ang price manipulation sa sibuyas at ibang agricultural products

IPRINISINTA ni Sen. Cynthia Villar sa Senate plenary ang report ng Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, sa isyu ng pagtaas ng presyo ng sibuyas.

Itinampok dito ang pag-amendya sa Republic Act No. 10845 o Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 upang isama ang profiteering, hoarding at smuggling sa economic sabotage.

"The amendment should be explicit and express and will leave no room for the implementers to interpret the intent and spirit of the law otherwise through implementing rules and regulations," ani Villar.

Upang protektahan hindi lamang ang onion industry kundi ang buong agricultural sector, ipinanukala ng committee ang pagbuo sa "Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force." Iminungkahi rin ang special court

para dinggin ang economic sabotage cases.

"The special court will give the task force the muscle to bring smugglers, profiteers and hoarders to justice and ensure preferential attention to cases of economic sabotage."

Inirekomenda rin ang pag-aproba sa importation permits na "logically scheduled" para makipag-compete sa local production at harvest.

"The import volume must be correctly established and such must be only for purposes of providing the needed supply in the market. Ayaw na po nating makitang nagtatapon ng sibuyas ang mga farmers natin dahil sa sobrang baba ng presyo dulot ng maling timing ng importasyon," got a ni Villar.

Inihain ng senator ang Senate Bill No. 1962 para baguhin ang RA10845 at Senate Bill No. 1963 o ang Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Courts Act of 2023.

"With the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Task Force and Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Court in place, we will have a watchdog in the agricultural sector to ensure that whoever manipulates the price of agricultural commodities to the detriment of the small farmers and consumers, will be brought to justice accordingly. Gone are the days when we are always at the mercy of these cartels," sabi ng senador.

Base sa Department of Agriculture-Price Monitoring Office, any presyo ng local na sibuyas na pula ay P90-P140 noong July-August 2022 at tumaas sa P200 noong October. Noong December 2022 naman ay tumaas ito sa P600-P700.