(File photo) MANILA - A party-list lawmaker representing the agriculture sector on Thursday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reconsider its decision to deny the Department of Agriculture's appeal for a spending ban exemption on the fuel subsidy for farmers and fisherfolk nationwide amid the increasing oil prices exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, Magsasaka Rep. Argel Cabatbat said the PHP500-million subsidy from the DA in the form of fuel discount cards would provide targeted assistance to affected sectors and would stand to benefit around 160,000 farmers and fishers. "May PHP500 sanang nakalaan na financial assistance sa porma ng discount card para sa manggagawa ng agrikultura. Higit 160,000 farmers at fisherfolk ang makakatanggap ng diskwento sa krudo na halagang PHP3,000 (There is around PHP500 million allotted for financial assistance in the form of discount cards for our agriculture workers. Around 160,000 farmers and fisherfolk
TACLOBAN CITY - Magsasaka Partylist Rep. Argel Cabatbat stressed that rehabilitation efforts should still be included in the presidential candidates' agenda.
Magsasaka Partylist. (Photo from Tonette Marticio) “It seems that Supertyphoon 'Yolanda' and Visayas have already been forgotten. Th
MANILA - A party-list lawmaker on Wednesday called for an investigation and the filing of charges against "big-time" personalities in the government allegedly involved in agricultural smuggling. Magsasaka Party-list Rep. Argel Cabatbat said the Department of Agriculture (DA) should look into the smuggling problem, particularly the involvement of officials from the Bureau of Plant Industry, as if they are being protected. "We will continue collecting evidence and witnesses that will expose the corruption in the Bureau of Plant Industry that we believe is the root cause of smuggling in the country," Cabatbat said. Cabatbat has already filed a resolution calling for a congressional inquiry on the implementation status of border inspection and food safety regulations, in the state of border inspection facilities in the country. The resolution also seeks to look at the government's capacity to curb the smuggling of imported vegetables and other agricultural commoditi
(File photo) MANILA - A lawmaker on Monday called for the immediate release of fuel subsidy and other forms of assistance for farmers and fisherfolk amid the soaring prices of oil in the international market. Magsasaka Party-list Rep. Argel Cabatbat said the successive oil price increases have an indirect effect on the prices of farm inputs, especially since farmers and fisherfolk are already "bearing the brunt of skyrocketing costs of fertilizers and the unreasonably low farm gate prices of their produce." Cabatbat said this week marks the eighth time in a row that fuel price hikes took effect. Since the start of the year, prices of gasoline have already went up by PHP7.95 per liter while diesel and kerosene prices have risen by PHP10.20 and PHP9.10 per liter, respectively. "Oil prices have an indirect effect on the prices of farm inputs, and we fear that the rising prices of petroleum products will adversely affect our farmers and prices of their produce," he said
Militant lawmakers yesterday sought an investigation by the House of Representatives on the move of the Department of Agriculture to allow the importation of fish reportedly due to a shortage of supply in the country.