LA TRINIDAD, Benguet –
Benguet Gov. Crescencio Pacalso said smuggling and the Baguio City truck ban
are killing the province’s vegetable industry which supplies around 75 percent
of Metro Manila and the country’s vegetable supply.
He assailed
the Baguio City council for not exempting Benguet vegetable traders and farmers
from the city’s truck ban saying farmers are losing money due to this.
Following
this, a public hearing on the proposed amendments to Baguio City Ordinance No.
5 series of 2017 or the truck ban ordinance has been scheduled on June 20 at 9
a.m. at Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall.
Mayor
Mauricio Domogan earlier submitted an administrative order to the city council
which said this has to be discussed first in a public hearing.
Vice Mayor
Edison Bilog proposed an amendatory measure imposing exemptions to some
affected delivery trucks out of necessity.
The
proposed revisions were consolidated in a proposed amendatory ordinance
introduced by the committee on public utilities, transportation and traffic
legislation headed by Councilor Benny Bomogao.
“The
City Council deems it necessary to provide a regulated exemption to trucks
loading perishable goods, mineral ores, those used in the implementation
government projects and water delivery trucks. There is also a need to
amend the references of the truck ban to maximize the use of the
circumferential roads,” the proponents noted.
As
proposed, heavy vehicles, trailers, dump and other freight trucks with gross
weight capacity of more than 4,500 kg. shall not enter, traverse, park, load,
unload or pass through main streets in Baguio from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.
But
according to farmers, these were prime time when they had to pass city streets
so they could catch up with market time to unload fruits and vegetables in the
lowlands so these will not wilt.
Farmers and
farmers’ organizations also lamented proliferation of smuggled vegetables in
the local market, which had adversely affected the province’s vegetable growing
industry.
The farmers
and traders raised the alarming issue during a recent visit of Sen. JV Ejercito
here.
Ejercito,
who authored Republic Act 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural smuggling law, said
that he visited Benguet to enhance cooperation and consult local farmers on
effects of the law on local agriculture and farmers.
Pacalso
welcomed the Senator during his visit along with La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda,
Kabayan Mayor Gideon Tadiano, Kibungan Mayor Manny Fermin, Itogon Mayor Victor
Palangdan and Atok Mayor Peter Alos and local government officials to discuss
the matter.
The Senator
said the issue on smuggled vegetables will have a strong opponent in the passed
RA 10845,
“We know
that smuggled vegetables kill our farmers who are already burdened by the high
cost of production,” Ejercito said.
He said for
a nation where 60 percent of the population depends on agriculture as sole means of livelihood, there is need for
government to look after welfare of farmers and agricultural sector.
“I know
that there are hard times in the agricultural sector, and any existence of
smuggling of agricultural products will add insult to the already burdened
economy to all of you, who live as subsistence farmers,” Ejercito said in
addressing the farmers and the local government officials with regards to the
issue.
He said he
will call the attention of Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon to go
after and cause prosecution of smugglers.
Ejercito
also promised to dig deeper into reports that smuggled vegetables are laden
with formalin to extend shelf life. – With a report from Aileen P. Refuerzo
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