Senator Kiko Pangilinan is urging the Department of Agriculture (DA) to establish dedicated hotline numbers to enable farmers to easily and swiftly report instances of abusive trading practices and exploitation in the agricultural sector.
Pangilinan was in Sto. Tomas, Pampanga to deliver relief goods to victims of the recent flooding there caused by subsequent typhoons and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat).
But while the DA has already promised to file criminal cases against abusive traders taking advantage of the farmers’ vulnerability to natural disasters and weather disturbances, the veteran legislator said this is not enough.
“Gumawa sila ng hotline, ang DA, para may matatawagan ang ating mga magsasaka pag binibili ng ganyan halaga na barat na barat.”
“Number one, may hotline ba sila para tawagan, may makakatawag, humingi ng tulong, maireport itong mga nagsasamantala? Gumawa sila ng hotline, ang DA, para may matatawagan ang ating mga magsasaka pag binibili ng ganyan halaga na barat na barat,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
“Busisiin (natin) ng husto at imbestigahan at sampahan ng kaso itong mga nagsasamantala,” the senator vowed.
He explained that the burden of reporting these abusive practices should not fall on the farmers alone. Rather, the LGUs should also take matters into their own hands and report exploitative trade practices to the DA.
Pangilinan was reacting to reports that traders are paying farmers only P5 per kilo of rice.
Meanwhile, he also plans to look into Pampanga’s flood-control projects as the province continues to suffer from its long-standing flooding problems.
“Kailangan natin ng makakuha ng paliwanag kung bakit bilyon-bilyon halos trilyon na ang ginagasta sa tubig-baha pero hanggang ngayon, baha pa rin.”
“Well, maliwanag na kailangan natin ng makakuha ng paliwanag kung bakit bilyon-bilyon halos trilyon na ang ginagasta sa tubig-baha pero hanggang ngayon, baha pa rin,” Pangilinan told the media on the sidelines of the distribution of relief goods in Sto. Tomas.
“Imbes na matugunan yung problema parang lalong lumalala, so dapat binubusisi ‘yan lalo na pagdating ng debate sa public works at debate sa flood control projects ng ating bansa,” he concluded.
