Senatorial aspirant Erwin Tulfo promised to initiate moves to review laws and government regulations in the face of skyrocketing prices of food and farm products.
Tulfo, who is running under Lakas in the May 12 elections, noted a practice in which the traders or middlemen acquire the agricultural produce right in the farm gates at very low price, and sell the same in the market at very high price.
“As a result of this practice, our farmers, hog raisers and poultry growers earn less. It is the traders who earn much,” Tulfo said. “Nariyan po ang problema sa pagkain, and everybody is experiencing that high cost of living. Kailangan na pong gawan ng paraan. Kailangan po siguro balikan ng Senado, ng Kongreso ang mga batas na ito,” he said.
Tulfo said it would be advisable if suggested retail price is being followed to control the prices of food and other prime commodities.
“Kung kinakailangan, maglagay ng Suggested Retail Price para po ika nga makontrol ang presyo po ng pagkain,” stressed Tulfo.
Agriculture is a major sector of the Philippine economy, ranking third among the sectors in 2022 behind only services and industry. As of 2022, the sector employs 24% of the Filipino workforce, and accounts for 8.9% of the total gross domestic product (GDP).
Tulfo said, farmers which include those in the four sub sectors of the agriculture (farming, fisheries, livestock, and forestry), need every help they can get, especially in the face of growing population.
Tulfo made the statement on Monday, March 24, during the Quezon City First District Representative Juan Carlos ‘Arjo’ Atayde’s first State of the District Address (SODA) at SM North Edsa Skydome in Quezon City.
The senatorial aspirant — who congratulated Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Rep. Atayde for making their city progressive and for always being there for their constituents in times of uncertainties — encouraged the people to pray for the country to attain unity and progress.
“May problema pong pinagdadaanan ang ating bayan. Alam niyo ho naman ito kung ano,” Tulfo added.
“Ang pakiusap ko lang po muna, ipanalangin po natin ang ating mga lider ngayon at noon, na bigyan sila ng malakas na pangangatawan, malampasan ang mga pagsubok na kanilang dinaraanan ngayon, at ipagdasal po natin ang ating bayan na muling magkaisa.”
Some of the plans he intends to carry out once he gets into the Senate include a review of legislations calling for monthly allowance for senior citizens, subject to the availability of funds, and for the companies to accept elderly applicants for certain gainful work.
Tulfo also promised to do something about the plight of the barangay officials, who should be given standardized salary which should be taken from the annual budget of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“We have to give them compensation. Hindi po honorarium, dapat po standardized salary, dapat po ilagay sa pondo ng Department of Interior and Local Government, tulad po ng mga solo parent, hindi po kakayanin ng mga LGU na bigyan po monthly ang mga barangay captain, kagawad, mga barangay tanod, honoraria na lang, at ‘yung mga health worker. May pamilya po silang pinapakain, may mga anak din po silang pinapaaral,” Tulfo said.