'WAG IPITIN ANG MGA TINDERO'T TINDERA!'
Hontiveros urges gov't to go after big-time profiteers amid high food costs

"Aminado akong kabado ako sa pagpataw ng price freeze sa baboy at manok. Bakit ang mga maliliit na tindero at tindera ang ituturo at maiipit kung sa mga mas naunang transaksyon posibleng nangyayari ang pagtaas? Paano nga naman kung ang ibinabagsak na sa kanila ay mahal na paninda naman talaga?"

This according to Senator Risa Hontiveros, as she urged the government to ensure retailers and market vendors are protected from being blamed for the normal increase in prices when there are shortages or when unscrupulous players upstream jack up the prices.

During the joint Senate committee hearing on rising food prices, where proposals for price freezes were also discussed, Hontiveros urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to improve its surveillance and zero in on specific industry players who may be responsible for the extraordinary price escalations, even when farm gate prices remain low.

"Maganda naman ang layunin ng moratorium sa price increase sa mga bilihin. Pero kailangang siguraduhin na hindi maiipit at pagdidiskitahan ang mga manininda natin sa palengke. Baka kasi sa farm gate, assembler, processor, sa cold storage, o sa byahe papuntang palengke nangyayari ang pagtaas ng presyo," she noted.

She then called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture (DA) to investigate and identify at which level in the value chain the possible 'overpricing' is happening. The senator also recommended that the agencies work with the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) for strict monitoring and imposing possible sanctions on violators.

"Dumulog na ba tayo sa Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) para magtanong kung saang bahagi nagkakaroon ng labis-labis na pagpapataas ng presyo ng baboy at manok, kung ito ay nangyayari nga?," she asked.

Hontiveros hopes DA could heed DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez's recommendation to impose suggested retail price (SRP) not only on retailers, but at all levels of the value chain from farm gate, wholesalers and traders. The senator says that this is how the axe can be made to fall precisely where it should.

"Dapat na magtulungan ang PCC, DA at DTI na alamin kung saan nagaganap ang pagpapatong ng malaki at tugisin kung sinu-sino ba talaga ang nananamantala, imbes na magkaroon ng pangkalahatang price control." Hontiveros concluded.