By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
Obviously, the currently showing onion economic drama, is so colorful and compelling that it had attracted not only our senators and congressmen but also the office of the Ombudsman.
Media reports have it that onion price in some parts of the Philippines, such as in Pampanga was still 700 pesos/kg as January 10, 2023. Seems the price ceiling of 250.00/kg set by the Department of Agriculture was just a lip service, not really implementable. It was made just to assuage the feelings of some people. It was meaningless.
Due to the continuing onion supply problem, the DA recommended to immediately import 22,000 metric tons of onion. That’s horrific, most of the senators intoned. They registered their opposition right after DA officials made public their recommendation saying that it is already the harvest season locally. They have a valid point there. However, their opposition is based on nothing concrete, no studies whatsoever; it is anchored only on the scanty knowledge that it is already harvest time for onion.
DA people explained that imports should arrive not later than Jan 27, as this is the start of major onion harvest, to fill up the slack in supply thereby cushioning inflationary effect of the situation. It was too late a reaction of course, as the dire situation was already detected early October, 2022. But it was based somehow on important considerations.
Well, the senators should have their media mileage. Unfortunately and to their chagrin, PBBM approved the recommended importation. That is a dismaying development, it effectively caponized their chance to be interviewed and spew their usual rhetoric that is as empty as saying that the sun will rise in the west.
The senators should confine themselves to minting laws, not whimsically meddle on the operations of line agencies, which with all intents and purposes, have generally studied their courses of action. Unless of course, their meddling is done in “aid of legislation” kuno.
They have their various committees as a vehicle in collecting information that could be used in crafting relevant pieces of legislation that would help a certain sector, before things get out of hand. When they react only to a problem that is poised to implode, it means they are not doing due diligence in their duties as lawmakers.
I commiserate with officials, including those that have hardly warmed their managerial seat, who are lambasted, embarrassed by senators when they are publicly grilled. They present plans to address a given problem, but instead of being patted at the back for coming up with a solution though only a couple of months on the job, they are subjected to ridicule and dared to resign as if the official was the cause of the problem. If such proffered solution is not at par with the prevailing situation, then it could be refined or guided to immediately prepare a more worthy one. But that is not the character of some national politicians. They are quick to condemn but slow to extend help.
Officials who can not stomach the misplaced tirades simply resign, putting a dampener on the discontinuity of plans or drafting better plans. Problems linger longer, as a result.
The current onion problem will certainly not be the last. Other crops like vegetables that are not given proper attention will be the next targets. And the unappreciated circus will be there again in our midst. In the Cordillera, we do not like our vegetables such as carrot, potato, broccoli, and others to be again a subject of smuggling which could dislocate our vegetable industry.
It is very interesting that the Ombudsman is taking a serious look at the onion problem. He is now investigating. He wants to know if the onion crisis is natural-meaning, we really are short in production, or it is a created situation; he is also interested to see if there is conspiracy among DA officials. If the conspiracy is between government officials and private individuals, what will he do? Interesting indeed!
The Ombudsman is showing interest in the current problem but I have not heard about the Department of Trade and Industry contributing something for the resolution of the problem. For what I know, DTI is there to promote and enhance the growth of local industries, including agri-based industries. It is also there, committed for the safety and protection of the consuming public. It should therefore be actively finding ways in partnership with DA and other concerned line agencies, to come up with the proper strategies in containing the onion drama.
Some traders are privately commenting that agri-product smuggling can never be stopped in the near future. But according to them, it could be managed in such a way that it will not create spikes in prices, or serious supply problems. They can always find a way to do the illicit trading without being caught. They have contacts everywhere. What is important is to have a DA secretary who understands the side of traders. This could be done by an honest-to-goodness dialogue with the concerned traders.
PBBM should now appoint a DA secretary post haste. He should not allow the extreme radicals to make use of the situation to promote their own self-serving propaganda of sowing disunity. The secretary should have strong credentials, one who can stand up to national “politician-experts”.**
