INQUIRER file photo
MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives will regularly check the prices of basic commodities.
At the same time, it will verify reports on hoarding of agricultural products.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez made the statement on Tuesday.
He explained this is part of the oversight function of Congress.
The speaker said this way, lawmakers will be able to help the executive branch in fighting smuggling syndicates.
“We will continually check on prices, especially of staples like rice, vegetables, meat, onions, and garlic, to protect our people from hoarding, price manipulation, unreasonable price increases, and other practices in restraint of trade that hamper competition,” Romualdez said.
“We have the appropriate tools to carry this out, including conducting follow-up hearings and summoning suspected hoarders, smugglers, and cartel leaders if needed,” he noted.
“We will not shirk from our duty to help our people,” he added.
During his second State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had said government is going after agricultural smugglers.
He had also promised to put these manipulators in jail.
“Isa sa mga dahilan ng pagtaas ng presyo ay ang mga smuggler, mga hoarder, at mga nagmamanipula ng presyo ng produktong agrikultura,” the Chief Executive had pointed out.
(One of the reasons why prices of goods increased was because of the smugglers, hoarders, and manipulators of prices of agricultural products.)
“Hinahabol at inahahabla natin sila. Sadyang hindi maganda ang kanilang gawain at hindi rin ito tugma sa ating magandang layunin,” Marcos had emphasized.
(We are going after them and we will prosecute them. What they do is truly not good, and this is not aligned with our good objectives.)
“Pandaraya ang kanilang ginagawa. Napapahamak, hindi lamang ang mga magsasaka, kundi tayo rin na mamimimili. Kaya hindi natin papayagan ang ganitong kalakaran,” he had explained.
(Cheating is what they do. They are jeopardizing, not only the farmers, but also us consumers. So, that is why we will not allow this scheme to persist.)
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