Villar: Price of rice ‘worsened’ under Piñol

Senator Cynthia Villar believes that the prices of rice in the country have “worsened” during the time of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol.

Villar gave this observation when asked in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday about Piñol’s reported plan to ask President Rodrigo Duterte to place the National Food Authority (NFA) back under the Department of Agriculture.

Villar chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

Responding to the question, the senator said: “I hope that by putting it under him (Piñol) it will change kasi di ba tinanggal yan kay Cab Sec (Cabinet Secretary) di ba dinala sa kanya as head of the council?”

“Did it improve? It worsened,” she added.

The Cab Sec that Villar was apparently referring to was Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., who previously headed the NFA Council.

Asked to clarify her statement that the situation worsened under Piñol, she said: “I think so.”

“E kasi noon at least hindi ganyan kataas ang presyo ng bigas. Ngayon sobrang taas. Imagine in Zamboanga City P75 per kilo, P65 per kilo (of rice)?”

“Before pag P45 na, we’re shocked but now we’re not shocked anymore na P60, P50, P75? Do you think it’s not worsening? I mean noon, hindi naman ganyan e,” the senator further said.  /muf