I am against importation of basic commodities —Manny Pacquiao

Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Thursday said he is opposed to importation of basic commodities.

Interviewed on "Dobol B TV’s Ikaw Na Ba?" Pacquiao said he wants the Philippines to have an excess local supply of basic commodities so that it will be able to export.

“Against po ako na laging mag-import ng basic commodities. Gusto ko po tayo ang nag-e-export, hindi tayo nag-i-import. Ibig sabihin masagana tayo, sobra-sobra yung ano natin,” he said.

(I am against the idea that we will always import basic commodities. I want the Philippines to be the one exporting instead. Meaning, we are abundant, we have excessive local supply).

Thus, he said the government should support farmers. For him, the current program of the government does not help all farmers.

If elected president, Pacquiao said he would work on the agriculture sector by focusing on production, distribution, and consumption that will also help the economy to recover.

Earlier, Agriculture Secretary William Dar approved the importation of 60,000 metric tons of fish, including the popular galunggong (blue mackerel scad), for the first quarter of 2022.

This is after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources projected a potential supply deficiency of 119,000 metric tons due to the closed fishing season, with the sector “severely” affected by Typhoon Odette.

According to the Department of Agriculture, the importation is also in line with efforts to address the high prices of fish in wet markets. —LBG, GMA News