By Redjie Melvic Cawis
LA
TRINIDAD, Benguet-- Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan urged Interior Sec. Mar Roxas
and officials to help the province correct issues on the vegetable
industry of the province being presented in Metro Manila in the aftermath of
Typhoon Ineng.
“We
would like to disprove the reports of national media outfits na walang gulay na
nanggagaling sa Benguet kaya tumataas ang presyong mga gulay sa Manila at sa ibang
lugar.”
Fongwan
bared this during Benguet Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council assessment of effects of Ineng attended by Roxas, presidential
spokesperson Sec. Edwin Lacierda and Welfare and Development Assistant
Sec..Vilma Cabrera recently here at provincial capitol.
Reports
said Manila markets had less supply of vegetables since Benguet could not
deliver needed vegetable supply so
several traders marked up their prices twice or three times the real price of
the vegetables.
He
cited cabbage which was bought by traders in the La Trinidad Trading Post
at P18 to 22 per kilo and sold in Metro Manila at P100 to 120per kilo.
“Reports
in different national media outfits showed prices of vegetables have increased
due to the effect of typhoon but that is not true,” Fongwan added national
media should ask the real situation from the province or any authorized
persons who will tell the truth.
He
added this also proves traders and sellers were taking advantage of the current
situation of the farmers who were affected by the typhoon. More than P46
million was reported in damage to agricultural industry in Benguet.
Fongwan
said there was a temporary shortage of vegetables when the Halsema Highway
closed during the height of typhoon Ineng, but the situation lasted for
less than a day since the Dept. of Public Works and Highways immediately
worked to make the damaged portion the road in Km 16 in
Tublay, Benguet passable.
He
urged Roxas to coordinate with the DTI in the national level to look into
usurious practice of traders and entrepreneurs in Metro Manila who take
advantage of situation of typhoon-affected farmers.
Roxas
assured of the support of the national government to typhoon affected provinces
including Benguet and the rest of the Cordillera region. He said he would
personally coordinate with the DTI to make sure entrepreneurs don’t take
advantage of situation of farmers in Benguet.
He
also offered the support of the DILG and the PNP by providing vehicles and
escorting the farmers to bring their vegetable produce directly from Benguet to
the Metro Manila markets so that the farmers will be the ones to take advantage
of the temporary increase of prices of their goods.
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