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Cayetanos want House probe on rising food prices


Couple Alan Peter Cayetano and Lani, who represents the first and second congressional districts of Taguig, respectively, have filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to look into the spiraling prices of basic goods such as meat and vegetables, and put in place measures to curb the rise.

The resolution seeks to find out the actions taken by the government as well as to determine the possible policies and programs needed to “sustainably feed the country’s growing population in the new normal.”

According to a statement, Alan Peter said the prices of basic goods are “being felt deeply by millions of Filipinos who were rendered jobless, poor, and hungry by the pandemic and made homeless by recent typhoons and natural disasters.”

“With a third of Filipino households reporting hunger and a quarter of businesses wiped out last year, the upward trend in the prices of our basic goods is another tragedy in the making,” he added.

The measure noted price hikes for chili and pork belly, which currently cost between P800 and P400, respectively, in major public markets in the National Capital Region.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar has issued a stern warning that hefty fines await unscrupulous traders and wholesalers who “unreasonably” jack up prices of basic food items, particularly pork.

The resolution urged also Congress to coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure that all Filipinos will have access to "sufficient, safe, and affordable food."

“We are faced with a grave crisis, whose length and breadth is not yet known. We all need to stand together now if we are to meet and overcome this challenge,” it said.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News

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