News Details

DA readies unscrupulous traders blacklist

NPO

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January 6, 2024

PHILSTAR

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has formed a blacklisting committee to strengthen the government’s drive against unscrupulous manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, consultants and hoarders of agricultural products.

Laurel issued Special Order 11 creating the blacklisting committee, which coincided with an ongoing DA revamp.

“In the interest of the service and to ensure the proper conduct of investigations related to the complaints involving the commission of offenses or violations during competitive bidding and contract implementation by manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, contractors and consultants, in accordance with Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act… a blacklisting committee is hereby created which shall serve as the central blacklisting body of the Department of Agriculture (DA),” he said. Laurel designated DA legal service director Willie Ann Angsiy and procurement division chief Melinda Deyto as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the blacklisting committee.

He also appointed DA internal audit service director Christopher Bañas to be a member of the committee.

Laurel added that under SO 11, the blacklisting committee is tasked to evaluate complaints initiated by the bids and awards committee and verify the grounds for blacklisting.

The committee will also “gather facts and evidence or take testimony to ascertain the truthfulness of the allegations in complaints, summon parties to hearing where it may examine further documentary evidence, receive verbal testimony and propound questions to the witnesses that may be presented, determine if reasonable cause exists to recommend the issuance of suspension or withdrawal of the respondent-contractor and the forfeiture of bid security.”

Laurel gave the blacklisting committee 30 days from the receipt of complaints to issue a resolution containing its findings and recommendations.

Lawmakers have questioned the failure of the Bureau of Plant Industry to blacklist importers allegedly involved in hoarding and manipulation of agricultural products.

Task force

Meanwhile, Benguet farmers yesterday called on the DA to strengthen the operation of the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force against smuggled vegetables, as they blamed the flooding of agricultural products in the slump in the farmgate price of highland vegetables, particularly carrots and cabbages.

In a radio interview, Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative general manager Augusta Balanoy said that carrots, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are rotting as there are no buyers. “Actually, since last year, we have been appealing to the government to revive the operations of the National Anti-Smuggling Task Force, as many smuggled vegetables enter the country,” Balanoy said.

She added that highland vegetables are given away for free in various areas because of a lack of buyers. “As of today, many highland vegetables have yet to be sold. Farmers are only harvesting now after they did not harvest in December and many vegetables are still in the farms,” Balanoy said.

She said that December was supposed to be a peak season amid high demand during the holidays. “The demand should be doubled. Farmers prepared for the peak season and increased their production. However, the demand was very low. There was only an increase of 30 to 40 percent in the purchase of the buyers. We conducted relief operations. We coordinated with the barangays instead of dumping the vegetables,” Balanoy noted.

For his part, farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura chairman Rosendo So confirmed a slump in the farmgate price of cabbage, as it reached between P5 and P10 per kilo.?So added that despite the decrease in the farmgate price of vegetables, the retail price of agricultural products remains high.

He said Kadiwa centers should be tapped to allow Benguet farmers to market to their products.

“The Kadiwa centers in Manila should be mobilized as the prices of vegetables are still high,” So said in an interview with The STAR. He also encouraged the public to eat more vegetables to support the farmers. “The consumers should support our vegetable farmers with the low prices,” So said.

He said the low farmgate price does not reflect the retail price.

“The difference between the farmgate price and retail price is still big. That is the problem when the President was still the secretary of the DA and up to now, it is still the problem,” So said.