PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday said the government will expand the size of farm lots used for planting onions and provide more seeds to onion farmers to boost local production, stabilize supply and bring down retail market prices.
In a video message after his meeting in Malacañang with officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which he concurrently heads, the President said these are the primary approach that his office will take to address the crisis that has been hobbling the onion industry in the past months.
“We’ll do this by increasing the area that is being planted to onions, number one. And secondly, we will help, the DA will help by providing inputs. So, the first part of that is we are going to the seed producers so that they will produce good seeds that we can give to the farmers at some point,” Marcos said.
The President likewise said the government is trying to find ways to address the need for cold chain facilities to avoid wastage.
“We need more cold storage. We need a better, stronger cold chain para ma-maintain naman natin, ma-preserve naman natin ‘yung agricultural products (… to preserve the agricultural products,” he said, adding: “Iyan ang mga plano, iyun ang mga ginawa namin para [sa] mga immediate needs doon sa ating mga nag-tataasan na presyo ng agricultural products (That is the plan, that is what we are going to do to address the immediate needs and the rising prices of agricultural products).”
The prices of onions have shoot up to over P200 in recent weeks. These, however, are expected to drop in the coming weeks with the start of the onion harvest season and the of 5,000 metric tons (MT) of imported onions.
Demand for onion rose in December due to limited supply, prompting the government to sell native red and white onions for P170 a kilo at Kadiwa rolling stores. Customers, however, were limited to buying a maximum of three kilos of onion per transaction.
The DA on January 10 announced the importation of about 22,000 MT of onions to address high prices and supply shortage.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), onion production in the third quarter of 2022 was recorded at 23.30 MT, which was higher than the 22.92 MT output in the same quarter of 2021.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. yesterday said he has asked provincial director Virgilio Sison of the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) office in Pangasinan to take a leave of absence pending an investigation into his reported involvement in the alleged harassment of a Senate witness on the high prices of onions.
“On the part of the DILG, I’ve asked him to take a leave, pending investigation,” Abalos told an ambush interview.
Citing initial information gathered, Abalos said the DILG provincial office requested the local police to look into the alleged suicide of onion farmers in Bayambang, Pangasinan after onion farmer Merlita Gallardo told a Senate hearing that Bayambang farmers, including her husband Roger, have been allegedly committing suicides due to losses incurred in onion farming.
The policemen then went to the Gallardo residence to inquire about the incidents. The local police later said Roger died of respiratory failure secondary to organophosphate poisoning.
“He (Sison) referred it (request) to the police to determine if it (suicide cases) were true or not… Maybe the policemen over-reacted and went to (Gallardo’s residence) at 10 p.m.,” said Abalos, adding: “I am waiting for the explanation of the (provincial) DILG why he acted without my knowledge… I am waiting for the explanation.”
Abalos said Sison is not suspended. “I asked him to leave his post so the investigation will be unbiased,” he said, adding that DILG undersecretary for local government Marlo Iringan has started an investigation into the matter.
“That is what I usually do. If there is a complaint, you should leave. An OIC (officer-in-charge) should takeover while you are under investigation,” the DILG chief said.
Sen. Imee Marcos assailed the police for allegedly harassing Gallardo, noting that Bayambang policemen visited the residence of Gallardo five times, forcing her to recant the statement she issued during the Senate hearing.
In a statement last Saturday, the PNP said the incident between the Bayambang policemen and Gallardo was a “mere misunderstanding.”
“The PNP’s action to visit Mrs. Gallardo at her house was a response to an advisory letter from the DILG Provincial Office requesting verification and to gather additional information on the alleged suicide incidents of five farmers from Bayambang, Pangasinan,” the PNP said.
“It was not intended to harass or cause her any harm or her family, rather it was to clarify and give more comprehensive reports on the truthfulness of the information regarding the alleged suicides,” the statement added.
It said the policemen were not out to coerce Gallardo to recant the statements she made during the Senate hearing or sign an affidavit against her will.
“The statement she was about to sign was a result of an interview conducted by the investigator to clarify the circumstances about the death of her husband due to respiratory failure secondary to organophosphate poisoning,” it said.
The PNP said the statement was in support of the PNP findings that the death of Gallardo’s husband was the only suicide case that took place in Pangasinan, contrary to her allegations that there were five.
“After the initial inquiry, it was found out that Bayambang policemen acted only on the letter of DILG Provincial Office and performed their duties in full uniform, onboard marked patrol vehicles, and assisted by Barangay Officials during the conduct of such visits.,” the PNP said.
It said the PNP leadership has ordered Pangasinan provincial director Col. Jeff Fanged to reach out to Gallardo “to extend assistance and assure her safety and allay her apprehensions over the series of visits by police officers.”
“Likewise, Gen Azurin was able to speak with Mrs. Gallardo via phone patch and the issue was already clarified,” the PNP statement added.
Bayambang mayor Niña Jose Quiambao denied that five farmers took their lives due to rising onion prices and said that one of the farmers who took his life in 2021 committed suicide due to depression after his crops were infested by crop-eating armyworms.
Bayambang agricultural officer Zyra Orpiano has also said that Roger committed suicide after his onion farm was attacked by armyworms. Orpiano said the loss, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, could have caused Roger to suffer from depression and take his own life.
SUGAR BUFFER
The President also said that the DA is proceeding with its earlier proposal to establish a two-month sugar buffer stock to keep the prices lower and avoid supply shortages in the future.
“Again [for] sugar, to cut down speculation, we are guaranteeing a buffer stock of two months. So hindi magkaka-shortage, hindi dapat tataas ang presyo (For sugar, to cut down speculation, we are guaranteeing a buffer stock of two months. So we will not have a shortage, the prices will not go up ),” Marcos said.
He said the government is also currently rationalizing the buying and importation schedule to avoid importing sugar during the harvest season.
The DA and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) have recommended the importation of 450,000 MT of sugar, following the instruction of the President to maintain a two-month sugar buffer stock.
As of January 8, the raw sugar production is at 877,028 MT which is higher than last year’s crop year of 716,485 MT.
Raw sugar stock balance is at 362,263 MT -which is lower than the 365,633 MT during the previous crop year- while refined sugar production is at 316,829.15 MT which is higher than last crop year’s 235,838.45 MT.
The SRA had also projected a negative sugar-ending inventory by July 2023. — With Victor Reyes
