Published April 12, 2021, 7:04 PM
Senator Imee Marcos on Monday, April 12, said calamity declarations should not anymore be the only basis for releasing aid to crop and livestock farmers coping with natural calamities such as typhoons and animal diseases.
Senator Imee Marcos
Marcos, chairwoman of the Senate economic affairs committee, issued the statement as the Senate Committee of the Whole discussed the effects of increased pork importation amid the food crisis brought about by the African Swine Fever (ASF).
“Local hog raisers are reeling from the delay in additional fund assistance attached to a state of calamity declaration. Let’s not wait for more hog raisers to shut down business and for the local industry to collapse,” Marcos said in a statement.
Published April 8, 2021, 6:01 PM
Senator Imee Marcos on Thursday, April 8, blamed the Department of Agriculture (DA) for supposedly crippling the government’s ability to raise the much-needed revenues to cope with the double onslaught of the African Swine Fever (ASF) and the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Senator Imee R. Marcos (Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO)
Marcos, chairperson of the Senate economic affairs committee, accused the DA of giving President Duterte “questionable advice” that led to his signing Executive Order (EO) 128, which lowers tariffs on imported pork products in attempt to reverse a supply shortage caused by the ASF.
“Aren’t we looking for more funding? Where is the much touted whole-of-government approach? We just threw away P11.5 billion of ayuda’ (aid), vaccines, PPEs (personal protective equipment) and ditched local hog raisers, all in one fell swoop,” Marcos said in a statement.
Published April 5, 2021, 2:39 PM
Senator Imee Marcos said the government should just relax the strict lockdown over the “NCR Plus” bubble to the less restrictive modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) if it will not ramp up its medical solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic and will not able to provide enough social amelioration to displaced families and workers.
(Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN)
Marcos on Monday, April 5, expressed her opposition to the reimposition and extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan. She shared the view that it, alone, will not curb the latest surge of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in thee country.
(JANSEN ROMERO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
This was according to Senator Imee Marcos, an Ilocana, who lamented the measly amount approved by President Duterte for each of the 22.9 million low-income individuals in the “NCR Plus” bubble, which was placed under ECQ for the second week until April 11.
The assistance should not exceed P4,000 per household, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.
“Alam natin said na said yan, ‘no. Kasi doon sa P1,000, wala pa ‘yong karne dyan, talagang wala nang manok at baboy (We all know that that is really not enough. Because with that P1,000-assistance, you cannot buy enough meat, chicken or pork),” Marcos told reporters in an online interview, referring to the rising prices of commodities.
Published April 3, 2021, 3:36 PM
The government has enough funds to address calls for more health workers and provision of personal protective equipment (PPEs), as well as additional facilities, amid the continuous rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, Senator Imee Marcos said on Saturday, April 3.
Senator Imee R. Marcos
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
As daily COVID-19 infections reached a new high of 15,310 Friday, April 2, the senator said at least P33 billion was “readily available” in the 2021 national budget to augment health care capacities and health worker protection.
“Doctors, nurses, and the sick have done enough penitence. Bring out the P13-billion Contingent Fund in the GAA (General Appropriations Act of) 2021 under the Office of the President, and the calamity fund or NDRRMF (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund) of P20 billion,” Marcos said in a statement.