Si P-Dut nga mabawg lubot nakakaplag og insaktong kaparang

MANILA, Philippines – Tough-talking Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña is now the latest target of President Rodrigo Duterte's public tirades.

Duterte repeatedly cursed Osmeña in a speech in Mandaue City, on Thursday, August 30, threatened to slap him, and accused him of thinking he "owns" Cebu City.

"Hoy! Tomas! This isn’t the time of the Spaniards, okay? The way you talk it's as if you have a very high station in life…. You even said that I’m the protector of shabu," Duterte said in Bisaya.

He said he wanted a meeting with Osmeña to confront him about supposed "false stories" being spread about Duterte.

"I came here to see Cebu and because I wanted to speak with an official. He was spreading false stories. I told him I tasked someone to arrange a meeting between us because I will slap him," said the President.

He described Osmeña as "the kind of person who talks like, 'Leave Cebu alone. We can handle it.'" (WATCH: Rappler Talk: Tommy Osmeña on governing as a mayor under Duterte)

"Who are you to say that? As if you own Cebu. By what right? Just because you were a former president’s son or grandson?" continued Duterte.

The Cebu mayor is the grandson of former president Sergio Osmeña. He is the younger brother of former senator Sergio Osmeña III.

Duterte also warned Osmeña not to try to "bully" him.

"Anak ka ng puta (You son of a bitch).... Don’t believe that you are someone better. If we don’t understand each other, I will slap you in front of people. Don’t mess with me because I’m not a Cebuano that you can push around. I’m not a local here that you can bully," said Duterte.

Slamming Osmeña for supposedly spreading lies about the state of Duterte's health, the President lumped the Cebu local chief with other critics of his administration.

"You’re just like Sison. You should form a group with Sison, you, Trillanes and Pamatong," said Duterte, referring to Communist Party of the Phiippines founder Jose Maria Sison, opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, and Elly Pamatong.

Pamatong earlier filed quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to oust Duterte.

Osmeña is one of the few mayors who has been critical of Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs, saying Duterte should look beyond police operations as the solution to fighting drugs.

In June, Osmeña's former aide was shot during an anti-drugs operation. Law enforcers claimed they recovered 15 sachets of suspected methamphetamine or shabu from him.

Osmeña has shrugged off threats to his life, amid the killings of local chief executives under the Duterte administration. The Cebu mayor earlier said he received information about an alleged plan to kill him, and then link him to illegal drugs. – Rappler.com

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P-Dut nga mabaw og lubot! Nakakaplag kag insaktong kaparang nimo?

Mura'g tinuod tingale ang panultihon nga samtang ang tao magkatiguwang, ang iya pud kunong lubot mag-anam pud kuno og kamabaw. Hehe... bantog ra diay pud nga ga-anam og ka-iritabli ning karaho nga P-Dut, kay nag-anam naman diay jud tingaleg kamabaw nang iyang lubot.

Ambot lang kaha pud ni si Tom-Os kung nagsugod na ba kaha pud og kamabaw ang iyang lubot? Aw mailhan ra ni pohon sa musunod nga mga adlaw kung mopatol ba siya sa mga minabawg-lubot nga mga gawi ni P-Dut.

Kung mag minabawg-lubot pud si Tom-Os, posible nga murag ingon ani pud tingale ang tuno sa iyang isumbalik og panulti ngadto kang P-Dut:

"Duterte! Anak ka ng tae.... Don’t believe that you are someone better. If we don’t understand each other, I will fuck your shallow ass in front of people. Don’t mess with me because I’m a true Cebuano that you can't push around. I’m a local who grew and live all my life here that you can't bully. Like you P-Dut, I'm just exercising my freedom to spit, este freedom of speech."

Hahay pastilan... Pagkamabaaaaw baya entawn og lubot aning P-Dut oi! Pagkadali ra baya niya entawn pasipukon ang iyang buringog nga ulo.

Ang pamunuan ni P-Dut, gubot pas lukot. Tungod man gud pud lagi kay ang pangutok niya mura man og mantika nga init na kaayo nga maski gamay ba lang nga pisik sa tubig, mo-uros man lang dayon og kalit.

Aw kung ingon ani na jud kamabaw ang lubot ni P-Dut, nan mosamot nga malingaw og panungog ni P-Dut kini silang Sison, Trillanes, Pamatong, ug ang naghinubrang nagkadaghang uban pa. Basin og mao ra unya ni mamahimong hinungdan nga madali og ka tigok ni si P-Dut. Hay pastilan... pagkasayon ra baya entawn lawgawon sa pangutok aning karaho nga P-Dut nga mabaw og lubot.

Unsaon naman lang nimo ron pagsulbad sa nagka grabe nga problema sa inflation sa atong nasod, Mr. P-Dut, kung ingon ana ra ka kasayon nga mapikon kung naay mosaway nimo?

Hoy! Kamo bang mga nagpalibot ni P-Dut, aber kinsa ninyo diha ang duna pay medyo lawm og lubot? Bi kuno bi, tan-awon daw nato kung duna ba moy igong katakos nga motambag ni P-Dut nga unta di na siya magpatuyang anang iyang pagka mabaw og lubot. Tambagan ba pud unta ninyo siya susama ba aning mga gipanulti ni San Roque ang patron sa mga masakiton:

"People in government should not be onion-skinned. The balm to wounded feelings is a clean conscience," matud ni San Roque kaniadtong Lunes, Agosto 20, sa usa ka news briefing sa Malacañang.

"Kung talagang hindi siya protector ni Peter Lim, eh 'di hindi siya protector ni Peter Lim. Dapat huwag siya masyadong masaktan kasi 'yan ang katotohanan," dugang pa nga pamahayag ni San Roque ang patron sa mga masakiton.

"Tom-Os does not have to do that (show proof). He said it, let it be.... If he is wrong, he will apologize. Until he does, he stands by it," matud gihapon ni San Roque ang patron sa mga masakiton.

So, kamong mga haduol ni P-Dut, kung wala ninyoy maski isa nga makatambag niya, nan basin hasta kamong tanan diha natakdan na sab sa iyang pagka mabawg lubot. Kung mao man galing nah, ay mas maayo pa tingale nga pabitasan na ninyo nang inyong mga lubot oi! Mobuhagay lagi jud nang inyong mga gipanghambin dihang mga dautang panuhot!

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Kining akong mga gipamahayag, ay minabawg-lubot baya lang pud ni. Ayaw lang gud pud ninyo seryosoha. Basin ba unyag mokibot pud dayon nang inyong mabaw nga mga lubot. Oi, oi, oi... wa bayay pikonay. Aw ang mapikon, mga magbaw jud og lubot pareho ni P-Dut nga perting mabawa og lubot!

          

This time, I kind of agree with Digong

This time, I agree with Digong's stated phrase. But I'm just not sure if he meant it or understood it in a similar context as most Christians understood it. But it does not follow that just because there is poverty that God does not exist -- it would be like a man, who is born with incurable blindness, preferring to believe that the sun does not exist merely because all he perceives all his life is darkness and he is not able to see and appreciate the soothing sunrise in every morning and neither is he able to witness and marvel at the beauty of sunset at the end of every day.

In some sense, Digong is right when he said that "IF there is God, there is no poverty." Perhaps unknown to him, but at least the way he phrased his statement implies that without God, there is poverty. The absence of God in a man's life could also mean man's rejection of God. Rejection of God means not wanting His ways of how we ought to live our lives in abundance. Only God knows all of the complexities of His creation, but man instead chose to do it on his own.

Did you know that there were two trees in the garden of Eden then? But mankind chose to ate the fruit of the forbidden tree (which represented all of the mortal worldly knowledge of good and evil) because they chose to entertain and believe THE LIE rather than believe God's word and obey his instructions and follow his ways. While in Eden with God, before mankind's fall, they live in all of God's abundance. However, when mankind was cast out of Eden and was living on their own in the ways of their acquired worldly knowledge of good and evil (as the result of eating the fruit of the forbidden tree), they are living their lives in lack and in a roller coaster of countless tribulations. And as descendants of our first parents, we too are experiencing it until now.

Just for the sake of intriguing our thoughts spiritually, briefly let me just pose this question: What if mankind then chose to desire the other tree in the garden of Eden, the Tree of Life? (Hope the concept awakens your spiritual interest. If you seek God's word thoroughly, then you will discover the answer to this deeply mysterious concept.)

Indeed, in God there is no poverty. It is only because of mankind's free choice of not following God's way of abundance that sin and poverty proliferated and prevailed in this world. Only by giving man free will that man, by his own volition and without coercion, can truly learn to embrace the truth, follow the way, and live life eternally in all of God's goodness.

       

On our hatred for the leaders and their offspring

Children shall not bear the iniquity of their parents, and neither shall the parents bear the iniquity of their children. (Ezekiel 18:20)

Every soul is accountable only for his/her own iniquities.

Walang pangulong nais mamuno na ang tanging pakay lamang ay kasamaan para sa kanyang mga masasakupan. At wala ring sino mang taong pinuno na, kahit gaano pa man ka mabait, ay hindi makakagawa ng pagkakamali. Marami sa kanila ay makakagawa o nakakagawa ng pagkakamaling hindi makakabuti o hindi nakakabuti sa kanilang mga nasasakupan at sa bayan.

Sa madaling salita, ang bawat pamumuno, kahit sino mang namumuno at kahit anumang uri ng pagpapatakbo ng pamumuno, kahit papano ay may dulot na mga kabutihan at gayundin mga bagay na hindi nakakabuti. Kayâ, yaposin at ikalulugod natin ang mga kabutihang dulot ng isang pamumuno. Subalit ang mga bagay ng isang pamumuno na hindi nakakadulot ng kabutihan ay ating ituro, punain, at iwaksi, habang sa ating mga sari-sariling kakayahan ay tutulong tayo sa paghahanap ng mga pamamaraang makakabuti sa lahat at sa bayan.

Kahit sa kasalukoyan, may marami-raming bilang pa rin ng ating mga kababayan na hanggang ngayon ay may natitira pa ring mga pagsusuklam sa pamumuno ng dating pangulong Ferdinand Marcos dahil sa mga bagay na nagawa o ginawa ng kanyang pamunuan na hindi nagdulot ng kabutihan sa ating bansa. Pero hindi ibig sabihin na ang mga kamaliang nagawa o ginawa ng Tatay at ng Nanay ng mga Marcos ay kamalian na rin ng mga anak na mga Marcos. Kahit pa na ang mga anak ay dugo ng mga Marcos, hinding-hindi pa rin tama na salinan at kargahan din ang mga anak ng paratang ng masamang reputasyon na napala ng kanilang mga magulang.

Totoo na, sa laman, ang bawat tao ay dugong-dugo ng kanilang mga magulang. Ngunit napakatotoo rin na hindi lang sa linya ng dugo nagmumula ang kasamaan o kabutihan ng tao. Bawat tao ay may sariling espiritu at pag-iisip. Kung ang espiritu ng kabutihan ay galing sa Maykapal, at kung ang tao ay hinawi ng Maykapal sa kanyang kaanyuhan at kahalintulad at hiningaan niya ito at sinalinan niya ng Kanyang Espiritu ang katawan nito para magkaroon ito ng buhay, sa madaling sabi, ang bawat tao ay may espiritu na nanggaling sa Dios at may lahi rin siya na nagmula sa Panginoon.

Kayâ di natin matitiyak na ang isang tao ay magiging masamang pinuno para lang sa payak na kadahilan na ang kanyang mga magulang ay naging masamang mga pinuno.  On the other hand, hindi rin natin matitiyak na ang isang tao ay magiging isang mabuting pinuno dahilan lang sa ang kanyang angkan ay may naging mabuting mga pinuno.

Let anyone aspiring for leadership prove his/her true worth. Huwag natin sila husgahan basi sa masama o mabuting reputasyon ng kanilang angkan, kundi husgahan natin sila sa kung anong totoong laman ng kanilang mga puso at isipan at kung sa anu-anong mga bagay ang kanilang maidulot o naidulot.

For our country's sake, isn't it the best thing to do for the offsprings of our past leaders to bury the hatchet for good? Isa sa mga malaking dahilan na nakapagpagulo ng ating bansa ay itong higwaan personal at pampulitika na nagmula sa halo-halong galit at puot ng mga mamayan laban sa mga angkan ng mga dating lider ng ating bansa dahil sila mismong mga angkan ng dating mga lider ay may galit at puot sa isa't-isa.

At ngayon sa ating kasalukuyan, pumasok na rin itong panibagong dagdag na galit at puot ng taumbayan sa isat-isa dahil sa bagong kasalukoyang pamumuno na sa pakiwari ng marami ay masama at takaw-papuri, habang sa tingin naman ng mas nakakarami pang iba ay mabuti at karapatdapat purihin.

[Pilipinas,] hindi ka kakaiba sa iba... kasi wala ka ring ipinagkaiba sa iba. Subalit, pilit ko pa ring ibahin ang pagtingin ng iba sa iyo, dahil naniniwala pa rin ako na talagang meyron kang taglay na katangiang kakaiba kay sa lahat ng iba.

Pagpalain ka ng mahal na Panginoon [, bayan kong Pilipinas].

          

On the impact of the TRAIN law on the poorest of the poor

The study (which starts at timeline 1:01:40 in the video above) mentioned that about "60.89% of our poorest people's BUDGET goes to food". But so many of these poorest of the poor now don't even spend their very meager earnings in terms of a so-called "budget". Because of today's high inflation (a shocking impact of 6.7% inflation rate actually for the poorest of the poor according to the study), every meager income they manage to eke out has now become not even enough to spend for their food. And thus, budgeting is irrelevant to our poorest of the poor kababayans nowadays. What is there for them to budget anyway when what they have is not even enough for a decent food?

If the government is truly aware and is honestly concerned of the disadvantageous impact of the TRAIN law among the poorest of the poor, then in all practicality, the implemented TRAIN law should be reevaluated by [many more] competent and experienced experts so that its implementation could be and should be adjusted and readjusted accordingly.

So in all of this, dear Mr. President, are our poorest of the poor kababayans worthy of your plan to resign? Are you the type of a captain who is first to abandon ship when you realized that it is indeed very tiring and very difficult to navigate our Philippine ship through a seemingly endless ocean and very rough waters?

          

Huwag sumayaw sa tugtog

O-oh... Unsa naman kaha poy nahingos aning karaho-a ni nga nagpaka aron ingnon na man pud ni?! Unsa na pud kahay nagpa hiping lingla sa likod niining iyang drama-drama karon?! Unya ron, kamong mga sobrang bilib sa iyang mga kabuang, motuo lang jud pud diay mo dayon aning iyang pinaka bag-ong pa-O.A. (Ogok Acting)? Aw kung motuo mo, nan susama ra mo niini: "Hing tugtog ang ogok, nanayaw pud ang mga tonto."

What a pathetic leader he is who believes in the foolishness of a self-deluding mastery of psychological manipulation.

Mga kababayan, be extra vigilant. See through the psychological manipulation. Look beyond the obvious.

          

Calling those brilliant minds, please help our country

Are we now getting into a situation where we are now risking all for a [poorly planned] goal?

Kung ang damgo naghinubra ra sa kadako, kung mapakyas, ang kapakyasan maghinubra usab sa kadako!

Economic managers seek Duterte's help in lowering LGU share

By Camille Elemia, Rappler

August 08, 2018

The government finance team still has no idea where it will source the additional funds for local government units.

MANILA, Philippines – Government economic managers, fearing a gaping budget deficit, are running to President Rodrigo Duterte for help to lower the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of local goverment units.

The recent decision handed down by the Supreme Court that the “just share” of LGUs shall be sourced from “all national taxes and not only national internal revenue taxes” is causing the anxiety of the Duterte administration financial team.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said this on Wednesday, August 8, during the second day of the budget briefing at the Senate.

Responding to a question by Minority Leader Senator Franklin Drilon, Diokno said they would appeal the SC decision.

Diokno said this development would "constrain" the national budget and may lead to an "unmanageable public sector deficit" of 6%.

Under the proposed 2019 national budget, which did not consider the High Court ruling, the IRA amounted to P575.52 billion.

The IRA could increase to as much as P732 billion should the SC decide that the ruling must be implemented next year.

Challenges: Both Diokno and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez told senators they do not know where they would source the additional funds for LGUs.

“I really don't know where we will source the funds and we will put our heads together and try to find out,” Dominguez said.

Drilon then asked about their timetable, saying the Senate has to deliberate on the 2019 budget by November for it to be implemented starting January 1, 2019. The economic managers, however, could not give a definitive answer.

“First we will file a motion for reconsideration, and we’ll wait for that to be decided upon,” Diokno said.

But Drilon said the prudent way is to expect the High Court to stick with its decision.

“Is it not more reasonable to assume that the decision will not substantially change? Do not entertain the thought that the SC will reverse its decision,” Drilon said.

“I don't think Secretary Diokno that it would be difficult for you to assume there will be no substantial changes. The more prudent step to take, minimum exposure, work on this figure, so when the appropriate time comes, we can do so [the adjustment]. It’s very difficult to me. It’s not prudent to say the SC may reverse the decision. For all my experiences, that will not happen, Mr Secretary,” he added.

Only fallback: It seems that the economic team has only Duterte as its main backup.

Citing the Local Government Code of 1991, Diokno said the President can reduce IRA for LGUs in the event of an “unmanageable public deficit,” such as the scenario the economic team foresees after the SC ruling.

Senators Drilon and Francis Escudero, however, were not convinced with Diokno's idea. Should the government announce public deficit, Escudero said it would “wreak havoc” on the country’s other finances.

Dominguez denied it would reach such grim scenario. But Escudero did not buy it: That's how they will react, really?

“Yes, we’re not allowing unmanageable deficit,” Dominguez said.

Drilon, in disbelief, said: "I think what they’re trying to say is by declaring unmanageable public defict, and declare IRA will be adjusted [to lower it], the unmanageable is now manageable.”

In a July 4 ruling, the SC decided on a 6-year-old petition filed by then representative now Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas. The petition said the national government did not release P500 billion worth of LGUs' "just share" from national taxes from 1992 to 2012.

Mandanas had asked the government to adjust its proposed 2019 budget based on the ruling.

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Not enough funds for Bangsamoro block grant in proposed 2019 budget

By Camille Elemia, Rappler

August 08, 2018

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno says they can submit a supplemental budget to finance the mandated annual block grant estimated at around P60 billion.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday, August 8, admitted there are not enough funds for the Bangsamoro block grant in the proposed 2019 budget.

Upon the questioning of Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, the DBM said the financial implications of the recently signed Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) have yet to be included in the proposed allocation for next year.

Drilon pointed out that the law provides for an annual block grant, or a 5% share in the national internal revenue. This shall be automatically appropriated to the Bangsamoro region without any conditions.

DBM Undersecretary Janet Abuel said the proposed budget has a P32.2-billion allocation for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which the BOL will replace after a plebiscite.

“Sir, indeed it is not yet incorporated in the 2019 proposed budget. But we have a proposed budget for ARMM, which amounts to P32.2 billion and we can be able to reallocate that considering computations for the requirements under the BOL,” Abuel said.

Drilon asked if this would be adjusted, as the mandated block grant is estimated at around P60 billion.

“What we intend to do is study and try to adjust within the amounts. We need to reallocate because what we have now is indeed insufficient to cover the estimated amount of block grant,” Abuel said.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, for his part, said this would be “manageable,” as the DBM could submit a supplemental budget for the Bangsamoro region.

“That's more manageable. We can submit a supplemental budget like we did in the free tuition [law] – we can do that. We'll look for some money inside [the budget to realign],” Diokno said.

President Rodrigo Duterte had actively pushed for the passage of the BOL this year. It remains unclear why it was not considered in the preparation of the 2019 budget.

Duterte signed the landmark measure on July 26. The BOL has to win the plebiscite before it gets to be implemented.

The Commission on Elections would need an estimated P854 million for the plebiscite, which Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas said would likely happen in December this year or early January 2019.

Chief Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza, for his part, said the plebiscite would be held in either November or December. This is in conformity with the law's provisions that a plebiscite must be held not earlier than 90 days and not later than 150 days after the effectivity of the law.

            

On the Proposed Federalism and Charter Change

Ang proposed charter change, kung sakaling ito ay matutuloy, alinman ay mangangahulugan ito ng mabilis na pag-unlad ng Pilipinas o ito ay mangangahulugan ng isang napakalaking trahedya para sa ating bansa. Kaya para lubos na maintindihan ng buong sambayanan ang tungkol sa charter change (na bunga ng planong ibahin ang ating uri at sistema ng gobyerno at gawing "Federalism"), at bago man lang ito maisalang sa plebesito, labis na napakahalaga na magkaroon muna ng isang malaking pormal na public debate at public forum tungkol dito, separate sa legal debate sa congress at sa senado.

A debate/forum format something like the following might be helpful.

Let there be a topical/categorized series of debates on the proposed Charter Change. And let there be three groups of participants in the debate/forum;

I.) The Debating Group -- Consisting of two sub-groups who can be government officials, elected officials, from the academe, private individuals, or from NGOs. Among others, they will debate on the pros and cons of the proposed Charter Change.

a.) Pro-Charter Change (Sub-group) -- The proponents, advocates, supporters of Charter Change. They are responsible for explaining the objectives and the benefits of their proposal.

b.) Anti-Charter Change (Sub-group) -- People who are against Charter Change. They are responsible for pointing out the dangers or negative aspects of the proposed charter change. And most importantly, they should be able to present an alternative proposal that would supposedly/similarly achieve the objectives of the proposed charter change.

II.) The Moderator Group -- Consisting of members of the media and the academe. They are responsible for moderating, focusing, and stirring the course of the debate.

III.) The Audience Group -- Consisting of competent representatives of key sectors of our society. They will be given chances to ask competent and relevant questions concerning the topic being debated.

Let the debate be aired on national TV/radio and on major TV/radio networks all over the country.

Rather than doing a ridiculous flimsy Mocha-Uson-style approach of initiating public awareness on the administration's proposal to shift to Federalism, it is far better and less costlier to do a formal public debate/forum.

At least in this way, the people will have the opportunity to listen to the arguments of BOTH sides of the debate and they will have a better opportunity to consider the pros and cons of the proposed governmental shift to federalism -- compared to a one-sided only administration-sponsored campaign/crusade on social media and other forums or platforms, such as what Mocha Uson has done.

            

"Business ethics" [of hoarders] is an oxymoron

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Lawmakers slam agriculture department over rice hoarders

By Ralf Rivas, Rappler

August 02, 2018

MANILA, Philippines– Several lawmakers told the Department of Agriculture (DA) they were disappointed over the agency's failure to stop rice hoarding and smuggling, which led to high inflation.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman and Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles reminded Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol of President Rodrigo Duterte’s marching order to go after rice smugglers and hoarders. (READ: Rice prices soar as Duterte marks 2nd year in office)

“Hino-hoard yung rice ng NFA (National Food Authority) at tinatago nila [ng mga negosyante], nagkakaroon tayo ng artificial shortage that drives the prices up,” Nograles told Piñol during the DA’s budget briefing in Congress on Thursday, August 2.

(Businessmen hoard and hide the rice of the National Food Authority (NFA), which resulted to artificial shortage and drove prices up.)

The DA asked P123.7 billion for 2019, but only got P55.9 billion under the National Expenditure Program. This is P6.5 billion less from its 2018 budget.

Piñol admitted that Nograles’s observation was "not unfounded."

However, the agriculture chief told the panel that businessmen may have a different take on the matter.

"We call it hoarding, but businessmen may call it inventory management. Sa kanila [for them], it’s legitimate business," Piñol said.

Nograles countered Piñol's explanation and insisted that what businessmen are doing is economic sabotage.

"That's price manipulation. That’s not inventory management,” Nograles said.

Meanwhile, BUTIL party-list representative Cecil Chavez questioned the agency’s policy shift toward easy access credit financing instead of giving out subsidies. She even threatened to defer the budget briefing if the agency continued to insist the shift.

Chavez added that farmers need subsidy especially now that the government is proposing to lift import quotas and slap tariffs on imported rice. She also said that farmers may not be able to pay off loans.

Piñol explained that the shift will make farmers more responsible in spending funds, as opposed to subsidies could lead to dependence and negligence.

He also attributed subsidies to the economic manager’s hesitation to give more funds to agriculture.

Piñol was previously quoted as saying that he wanted the government's conditional cash transfers scrapped.

Moreover, Piñol said that over 90% of farmers were able to pay off loans.

          

Sana umubra ito. Sana makakatulong ang mga ganito.

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Agriculture department sets suggested prices for rice, other goods

By Ralf Rivas, Rappler

June 25, 2018

MANILA, Philippines – To avoid further abnormal movement of prices in local markets, the Department of Agriculture (DA) set a suggested retail price (SRP) scheme for 8 agricultural products on Monday, June 25.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the department order covers only Metro Manila markets. The SRP scheme will be rolled out to other regions in the coming days.

Piñol also clarified that the order does not cover supermarkets and malls.

Under the order, the SRP of regular milled rice was pegged at P39/kilo. Prices of regular milled rice had soared due to depleted National Food Authority (NFA) rice stocks. (READ: Rice prices soar as Duterte marks 2nd year in office)

Meanwhile, popular fish like milkfish (P150/kilo), tilapia (P100/kilo), and galunggong (P140/kilo) were also covered in the DA order.

Red onions and white onions have SRPs of P95/kilo and P75/kilo, respectively.

Imported garlic (P70/kilo) and local garlic (120/kilo) were also covered in the order.

"The prices of commodities with SRP should not go beyond 10%. Violators will be fined from P1,000 to P1 million or imprisoned for a maximum of 6 years," Piñol said.

The agriculture chief said they have joined forces with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to monitor the prices in markets weekly.

The DA has yet to determine SRPs for poultry and livestock products, as officials have yet to meet with industry stakeholders.

A spike in the prices of basic commodities had been observed after the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law in January this year. (READ: Philippine inflation spikes at 4.6% in May 2018)

Economic managers, however, attributed the increases to profiteering by some traders.