Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act to bring down food prices

MANILA: A Party-list lawmaker on Wednesday welcomed the ratification of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act in both houses of Congress, saying that going after smugglers, hoarders, price manipulators, and cartels would effectively bring down food prices, which remains the main contributor to the overall inflation that rose to 4.4 percent in July. 'Having this Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act signed into law would give the government more teeth to go after hoarders and price manipulators preying on consumers. This is important to stabilize the price of food and other basic commodities, which continue to burden Filipinos,' AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said in a news release. 'Dapat habulin at panagutin ang mga demonyong pumapatay sa kabuhayan ng ating local food producers at pabigat sa consumers (We should run after the devils who are killing the livelihood of our local food producers and are a burden to consumers, and make them pay). Filipinos deserve this law to be implemented because they deserve to be able to have access to basic needs that they need to survive.' The Bicolano lawmaker had previously likened hoarders and price manipulators of agricultural goods to the "devil,' saying they needed to be jailed for their crimes. The Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act seeks to impose severe penalties on smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, cartel operations, and other unlawful acts of market abuses of agricultural products, as well as impose a stricter penalty for public officials or employees who tolerate and protect those involved in these unlawful acts. The House of Representatives passed its version of the proposed law, House Bill 9284 on Sept. 27, 2023, while the Senate passed its counterpart Senate Bill 2432 on Dec. 12, 2023. Both chambers ratified the bicameral conference committee report reconciling the two versions on Aug. 6. 'Pirma na nga lang po ng Pangulong Bongbong Marcos ang hihintayin natin at ganap nang maisasabatas ang mas pinalakas na anti-agricultural smuggling law. Panahon na para maipakulong ang mga nasa likod ng mga krimeng nagpapabagsak sa kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at sa ating ekonomiya. Dapat lahat sila masampolan (We are just waiting for the signature of President Marcos to finally enact the enhanced anti-agricultural smuggling law. It is time to jail those behind the crimes that bring down the livelihoods of our farmers and fisherfolk, and our economy. They should all be taught a lesson),' Lee said. Source: Philippines News Agency