Aside from smuggling, unchecked onion imports are pushing Filipino farmers to the brink, with disjointed government data and sloppy government response threatening to deepen the problem, Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson said.
Lacson called out the Department of Agriculture and Philippine Statistics Authority for the discrepancies in their data on onion production and consumption, hindering the government from making the needed decisions to help our onion farmers.
At the hearing of the Senate committees on agriculture and local government at the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija tackling the systemic collapse of onion farm-gate prices, the veteran legislator also scored the “very wide” communication gap between the DA and stakeholders.
“Paano tayo magkaroon ng magandang decision kung di kayo magkasundo?” the seasoned lawmaker said, particularly addressing the representatives of the DA and PSA here.
“Napakaimportante na kumpleto at accurate ang data para kung magpaplano tayo. Maski sa military operations, kung mali ang assumption, debacle – patay ang lahat na sundalo,” the senator added.
During the hearing, the PSA said the Philippines produced 308,660 metric tons in 2025, with Lacson noting this could mean a surplus of around 13,000 metric tons.
But he also noted that the Philippines imported 94,000 metric tons that same year, adding the volume of onion imports that year could even be bigger – potentially up to 150,000 metric tons if smuggling and leakage are factored in.
On the other hand, Lacson said an extrapolation of the DA’s figures showing onion production in 2025 amounted to 245,988 metric tons from Regions 1, 2, 3, and Mimaropa in 2025 showed a deficit of 22,035 metric tons.
“Paano tayo magkaroon ng magandang decision kung hindi kayo magkasundo?”
“Ganyan magkalayo ang inyong datos. Paano tayo magkaroon ng magandang decision kung hindi kayo magkasundo?” he said.
Lacson also scored what he described as a pattern of importing too much, noting the 94,000 metric tons imported last year far exceeded the projected deficit. He likewise questioned the DA for its “very wide” communication gap with stakeholders.
“It seems the communication gap is very wide. Napakalawak ng communication gap between stakeholders and the DA. Kinokonsulta ba kayo ng DA? How often? Kino-consult pero di kayo pinapakinggan?” he said.
“Kahit weekly (ang consultations) pero kung hindi kayo pinapakinggan, useless ang consultations,” Lacson added.
He likewise scored the DA for not acting on the plight of onion farmers in Occidental Mindoro after a farmer from Magsaysay town said 40 percent of their 26,000 metric tons of onions could not be harvested and no one would buy their produce. Because of this, they may have to uproot their produce.
“Ngayon nyo lang ba narinig ito, ang problemang ‘yan? Di ba dapat minomonitor nyo ‘yan? Kung ganito ang klaseng officials ng gobyerno natin, talagang walang mangyayari sa agriculture sector natin,” Lacson asked the DA representatives present.
He also pointed out that while the DA said it would act on the procurement problem, the 2026 budget has no funds for this – although the President can realign funds when needed.
“May pondo sa palay, P9 billion; sa onion growers wala … Why make public pronouncements, bibigyan nyo false hopes ang onion growers?” Lacson stressed.
“It’s a matter of coordinating with each other and consulting with stakeholders, which you are not doing,” he added.
PH Lost Billions in Foregone Taxes to China
Lacson said the Philippines lost at least P267.13 billion in foregone tax revenues from trade with China in 2023 alone, likely in large part to smuggling and leakages.
He cited discrepancies in Philippine and Chinese records indicating P143.82 billion in foregone value-added tax and P123.31 billion in foregone income tax.
Data from the World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solutions (WITS) in 2023 showed that while the Philippines reported $30.933 billion in imports from China, China reported $52.4 billion in exports to the Philippines, Lacson said.
This amounted to a discrepancy of $21.4668 billion, or P143.82 billion in potential foregone 12% value-added tax (VAT) collections, with an exchange rate of P55.83 to $1 at the time.
“Anong ibig sabihin noon? Smuggling. Underdeclared, misdeclared or not declared,” he said.
“P143.82 billion. ‘Yan ang leakage sa ating dapat makolektang buwis.”
“P143.82 billion. ‘Yan ang leakage sa ating dapat makolektang buwis,” Lacson added, addressing representatives of the Bureau of Customs.
Citing more figures from the World Bank, he noted China reported $10.647 billion in Philippine exports to China, and $19.4828 billion in China imports from the Philippines. This amounted to a discrepancy of $8.835 billion, or a potential P123.31 billion in foregone income tax.
“Dinadaya naman dito ang income tax. ‘Di tayo tina-tax sa export,” he concluded.
