Yes, opposition really plotting…to bring down prices – Bam Aquino

Amid President Rodrigo Duterte’s allegation that the opposition is conniving with other groups to oust him, Senator Bam Aquino said the opposition is actually plotting “Oplan Ginhawa” to solve the price hikes.

“In the past few days, there has been talk about the opposition planning, colluding, talking about things that they want to do. Ngunit hindi po pagpapabagsak ng gobyerno ang pinaplano namin (But it’s not the downfall of the government that we are plotting),” the senator said in a privilege speech on Wednesday.

“Ang pinaplano namin ang pag-angat ng mga kababayan nating nasa laylayan ng lipunan (What we are planning is how to raise the standard of living of those in the margins of society),” he said.

READ: Duterte: Reds, Magdalo, political rivals plotting to oust me

The senator insisted that the opposition’s real plan is to come together to give whatever they can to put a stop to the rising prices of commodities and to prevent Filipino’s from “dying from poverty and hunger.”

Aquino urged the administration to do the same and to unite to solve the rice crisis and the continued rise in prices of prime commodities before January.

“Ang plano ng oposisyon, magkaisa. Hindi lang po oposisyon, pati administrasyon, magkaisa at magtrabaho para solusyunan ang krisis sa taas ng presyo ng bigas at taas-presyo ng bilihin bago pumatak ang Enero (The plan of the opposition is to unite the nation, not just the opposition but also the administration. Let us aim to unite and work together to solve the rising prices of basic goods before January),” he said.

Aquino challenged the administration to “quickly facilitate” the release of all cash transfers to 10 million Filipino families “at the soonest possible time.”

He said the government should also push “for the complete and effective implementation of the Pantawid Pasada Program,” the “10 percent discount on rice for the poorest families” and the “rest of the social mitigating measures in the TRAIN Law.”

He strongly suggested that the National Food Authority (NFA) “bring back and maintain the mandated 15-day buffer stock” as part of the proposed “Oplan Ginhawa,” which he believes will solve poverty in the country.

“Ito po, order No. 1 para maibaba ang presyo ng bigas sa merkado. Naniniwala kaming kaya itong tuparin ng NFA sa loob ng isang buwan, basta’t mayroon silang matino at mahusay na NFA administrator (This is order No.1 to stave off the continued increase in rice prices. We believe that the NFA can do this in a month’s time if they have a good NFA administrator),” he added.

With a 15-day buffer stock, he said the NFA can “make rice available and affordable for Filipinos” and end the country’s rice crisis before Christmas. /ee

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