News Roundup 22 January 2023
Jan 22, 2023 • 3 min Read
Makabayan bloc moves to suspend order to import onions as harvest season nears | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Minority lawmakers at the House of Representatives are seeking to suspend the importation of onions that the government said will address low supply and soaring prices. With harvest season coming, onion farmers have warned the ill-timed move is “going to kill” them.
Reps. Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party), France Castro (ACT Teachers party-list), and Raoul Manuel (Kabataan party-list) filed the House Joint Resolution No. 18 on Friday, saying importation would hurt local farmers. The measure is unlikely to prosper at the House, which is dominated by administration allies.
“We should not use the rising prices of onions as an excuse to engage in the importation business. We saw how this affected rice farmers when the Rice Tariffication Law was passed and we know for sure that this would also be the fate of our onion farmers,” Brosas said.
Marcos Jr., who concurrently sits as the country’s agriculture chief, approved this month the importation of 21,060 metric tons of onions. This comes as a kilo of onions sells from P600 to over P700 despite the government setting a suggested price of P250 a kilo.
Brosas added that relying on importation to control prices and address demand would lead to long-term consequences for local agricultural production.
Full Story at: Makabayan bloc moves to suspend order to import onions as harvest season nears | Philstar.com
2 ex-cops in kidnap of sabungero surrender | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Two former policemen tagged in the kidnapping of an online cockfighting agent in Laguna have surrendered, the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) of the Phillipine National Police (PNP) announced yesterday.
Rigel Brosas, a former patrolman, and ex-corporal Daryl Paghangaan surrendered to the IMEG’s field unit in Calabarzon on Thursday.
The two were among those who allegedly posed as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and seized Ricardo Lasco from his residence in Barangay San Lucas in San Pablo City on Aug. 30, 2021.
Full Story at: 2 ex-cops in kidnap of sabungero surrender | Philstar.com
Palawan fishers report continuing Chinese harassment | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Just days after the Philippines and China supposedly reached an agreement in which China would allow Filipinos to return to their own fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea, a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel drove away a Filipino fishing boat while in the waters of Ayungin Shoal early this month, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
On Saturday, the PCG said it was investigating the incident at the shoal, also called Second Thomas Shoal, located 315 kilometers west of Palawan province and within the country’s 370-km exclusive economic zone.
It cited the account of fishermen from the Palawan capital of Puerto Princesa led by Lito Al-os, who said they were fishing at Ayungin on Jan. 9 onboard their boat Ken-Ken, when a CCG ship with bow No. 5204 approached their area.Full Story at: Palawan fishers report continuing Chinese harassment | Global News (inquirer.net).
