Manila, Philippines – The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and Anakpawis Party-list lambasted Department of Agriculture secretary William Dar for urging the farmers’ cooperatives and associations to import and sell fertilizers amid skyrocketing prices. Groups exclaimed that Dar, “a promotor of neoliberal policies and importation,” became a middleman between the Filipino farmers and the private traders instead of resolving the root causes of the fertilizers’ soaring prices.
“Pang-middleman ang statement ni Dar, hindi pang-governance, at pang-stabilize ng presyo ng input na abono. For his information, nasa state of calamity ang bansa, kaka-extend nga lang ni Duterte sa Proclamation No. 1218 hanggang September 12 sa susunod na taon. Nasa kapangyarihan ng pangulo na magtakda ng price ceiling sa fertilizer. Palagian na lang importation ang nasa bibig niya, sa halip na gawing self-reliant at self-sufficient ang local production. Mag-resign na lang siya dahil hindi pang-agriculture secretary ang mga pino-promote niya,” Cathy Estavillo, Secretary-General ng AMIHAN at Anakpawis Party-list.
The Republic Act No. 7581, as amended by identified fertilizer as a prime commodity and it defined profiteering, as “the sale or offering for sale of any basic necessity or prime commodity at a price grossly in excess of its true worth.” In section 7 on Mandated Price Ceilings, the Price Coordinating Council, including the agriculture secretary could recommend to the president to control the prices of fertilizers.
“Ang dapat gawin ni Dar ay kagyat na i-rekomenda ang price control sa Price Coordinating Council para maaprubahan agad ni Duterte, at imbestigahan ang profiteering dahil tumaas ng 53% ang itinaas ng presyo mula Abril hanggang Hunyo,” she added.
Based on Amihan and Anakpawis’ research, fertilizer prices increased from P850 to P1,300 per bag in Nueva Ecija, while it was from P950 to P1,230 per bag in Isabela or around 30%. It added that price surges caused an additional of P3,440 to P4,500 to the total cost production of palay.
“Ayuda ang sigaw ng mga magsasaka ngayon, hindi ang pagiging trader ng abono. Malawakan ang hiling ng mga magsasaka para sa P15,000 production subsidy na ngayon ay hindi pinapansin ng rehimeng Duterte. #DutertePalpak na nga sa public health response sa pandemya, pati sa agrikultura at food security #DutertePalpak pa rin. Mismong UN na nga ang naglabas ng warning mula pa nakaraang taon na dapat pahalagahan ang food production dahil nga para maiwasan ang food crisis. Pero ang rehimeng Duterte, walang inatupag kundi trade liberalization, sa halip na subsidies sa local production. Mag-resign ka na lang William Dar, dahil mas malala ka pa sa peste at bagyo sa mga magsasaka,” she ended. ###
