BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Presidential sister and Senator Imee Marcos is pushing for the importation of some basic food items to address the shortages and rising prices, as she cited the spiraling cost of red onions, that is now pegged at P300 per kilo.
Marcos, however, said that the importation should only be in small volumes, in order not to cripple the local farmers.
She called on the Department of Agriculture, led by her younger brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to start the importation to address the situation.
The national government has no choice but to import some basic food commodities, the elder Marcos said, also noting problems with the small volume of fish in the market.
But she clarified that the importation of fish should not include tilapia and milkfish to protect local fishermen.
Marcos visited Bago City, Negros Occidental yesterday to lead the payout assistance to individuals in crisis situations (AICS) to about 1,000 beneficiaries from the 4th district of the province at the Ramon Torres Cultural and Sports Center were each beneficiary received P3,000 each.
Marcos said they have chosen the Negros Occidental 4th district, noting also that many of those affected by Typhoon Odette have not recovered yet.
“We are also looking at farmers and fishermen affected by recent calamities on how to help them,” she added.
Marcos also committed to give P5 million to each local government unit of the 4th district, composed of the cities of Bago and La Carlota and the municipalities of Valladolid, Pulupandan and San Enrique.
“We should not have a hungry Christmas for Filipinos,” Marcos said.
Marcos was also joined by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer and Mayor Nicholas Yulo in the distribution of financial assistance.*
