Plant Industry Bureau asked to explain importation of onions

CNN Philippines

Lawmakers expressed their disappointment with the Agriculture department's Plant Industry Bureau saying its decision to import onions showed signs of incompetence.  Senior correspondent AC Nicholls has the details.  Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

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00:00 I most respectfully move that a show-cause order be issued against the BPI family

00:06 why they issued an import permit at this time.

00:10 Frustrated over the answers they're getting,

00:12 members of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food

00:15 moved for the issuance of a show-cause order against the Bureau of Plant Industry or BPI.

00:21 During the continuation of the panel's inquiry into possible hoarding of commodities,

00:26 members questioned the Bureau why it allowed the importation of onions

00:30 when there is enough supply from local farmers.

00:32 The BPI says it has already appealed to importers to delay shipping

00:37 so local farmers can sell their stocks first.

00:40 A group of farmers personally went to the Agriculture Department

00:44 to appeal for help in selling approximately 3 million bags of onions

00:48 presently kept in cold storage facilities.

00:51 Since our farmers have requests given that...

00:55 If the farmers haven't requested,

00:58 you won't request to the importers to delay the importation.

01:02 Is that right or not?

01:04 That's right, sir.

01:06 And that shows your incompetence.

01:07 Some lawmakers say they find it difficult to understand

01:11 how the Bureau of Plant Industry, supposedly a regulator,

01:15 is unable to forecast when they should allow imports

01:18 so as not to undermine local harvest.

01:21 They looked back at what happened last year when onion prices soared

01:25 as traders allegedly held off the release of stocks to manipulate prices.

01:29 BPI explains it doesn't have authority to compel traders to release their stocks

01:35 based on the guidelines on cold storage warehouse.

01:39 We are currently amending the regulation so that

01:43 the provisions of the Price Act will be included in the guidelines

01:48 so that we will be able to compel the traders

01:52 to release their stocks in times of emergency and need.

01:56 The committee directed the BPI to submit as soon as possible the revised guidelines

02:01 that would supposedly help prevent hoarding and price manipulation.

02:05 For the past eight months, discussing these issues,

02:09 if you enter one ear hole, you go out the other ear.

02:14 Because the problem here with hoarding is the releasing.

02:18 The BPI assures the committee that it regularly inspects cold storage facilities.

02:23 But some lawmakers are not convinced.

02:26 This BPI is so useless. Don't give it a budget.

02:30 Give it maybe 5 centimers. You guys are not doing your job.

02:37 Meantime, the committee ordered the detention of cold storage owner Lim Chok Uy,

02:42 supposedly for giving inconsistent answers at the hearing.

02:46 The committee, there being a quorum, declares Mr. Lim Chok Uy,

02:50 to cite Mr. Lim Chok Uy in contempt and to be detained in the premises of the House of

02:58 Representatives in the House Custodial Center again for 30 days.

03:03 Other cold storage owners and traders were told to come back to answer more questions

03:08 when the hearing resumes.

03:10 AC Nichols, CNN Philippines.

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