Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) February 7 — House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has ordered a congressional panel to investigate the causes of high prices of basic goods as he warned agricultural traders against hoarding.
Romualdez on Tuesday told reporters that he directed Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, to look into the factors affecting prices of basic commodities such as onions and garlic.He made the statement a day after meeting with officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Trade and Industry to address reports of hoarding of agricultural produce.We have already directed the chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, chairman Mark Enverga, who is with us today, and the House leadership to get to the bottom of this problem and situation, as to why there are soaring prices of these basic commodities and the lack of supply,” Romualdez said.We’ll be working closely with…the Department of Agriculture and the Executive to make sure these hoarders and all these foolish activities of traders are stopped. You know, my message is: moderate your greed, release the supply of these basic commodities, these vegetables, whether they be onion, garlic. Moderate the supply, moderate your greed, give us fair prices. If not, your days are numbered. We’re going after all of you,” he added.The Speaker’s office said in a statement that Romualdez and DA officials agreed during their meeting to tap the ₱276-million Kadiwa Food Mobilization Fund under its 2023 budget to buy farmers’ produce at prices higher than the production cost.
