Magsasaka Party-list Representative Argel Cabatbat admits that he has never foreseen the price of pork going higher than beef, citing that the cost of the former have doubled in less than a year.

“Fish prices had 10.5% inflation in March 2020, while fruits had 9.9%, and vegetables 8.1% increase in prices. I can believe that those were natural and unintended consequences of our pandemic responses, but almost one year has passed our purchasing capacity still keeps on diminishing. The situation is merciless and shocking to conscience, especially for many poor people who live on subsistence,” Cabatbat notes.

The current minimum wage in Metro Manila stands at P537 while pork can be bought at around P400 per kilo, which according to Cabatbat, seems impossible to get by.

“Isipin niyo ho ito: sa isang araw na sweldo ng minimum wage earner, halos isang kilong baboy na lang ang kayang bilhin ng kinita niya. Kung dati kinakaya pang igapang ang araw, ngayon tila imposible na,” he said.

“Pag nagtuloy-tuloy ito, mas dadami ang gutom, mas tataas ang malnutrisyon, at mas sari-sari ang sakit ang mararanasan ng mga Pilipino,” he added.

According to the congressman, the constant price hike is seen as “a symptom, a glaring proof of the ailing state of our agriculture”.

With this, Cabatbat appeals to the public to exert extra support to the agriculture sector. Calling on the Department of Agriculture (DA), he hopes that the agency strengthens its suggested retail price (SRP) review mechanism and abolish smuggling.

“Kailangan rin ng malalim na programa para sa farm-to-market roads, input support, modernization, mechanization, transportation, at storage para mapahaba natin ang shelf-life ng mga produkto at mabawasan ang pagkalugi ng ating mga magbubukid,” he continued.

On the other hand, he seeks to attain self-sufficiency and food sovereignty by having “have full autonomy in supply production.”

“Food sovereignty protects our farmers, our fisherfolk, and our consumers,” he said.

“Anything less is a disservice to them. Anything less worsens the ailness that the entire agricultural industry faces,” he stated.

Recently, Agriculture Secretary Dar disclosed that the country is under a state of calamity due to the food inflation.

The presence of African swine fever (ASF) in farms, the consecutive typhoons in November, and the alleged price manipulation among traders and re-sellers contributed to the price hike, says Dar.

President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to put a price ceiling on pork and vegetables.

Photo Credit: Facebook/Argel Joseph Cabatbat