Lawmakers have called for an investigation into the order of the Department of Agriculture mandating the purchase of P2.5 billion worth of biofertilizers to ensure that it would not end up being another scam. /PDI
“At a time of high prices and looming El Niño, it is imperative [for Congress] to review the policies of the on rice production. Will the heavy burden of our farmers be eased or will it just end up in corruption that will make them even more miserable?” Hontiveros asked.
Sought for comment, Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian said: “We want to assure the respected members of the House of Representatives and the Senate that we are ready to explain the memo to them during any probe they will conduct.”Pangasinan lawmaker Rep.
“Within six months, their rice production dropped by 20 percent. target was to save up around $400 million in avoiding the importation of chemical fertilizers. But within six months, they had to import more than $400 million worth of rice,” Cojuangco said. “Instead of the $400 million going to farmers in Sri Lanka, the money went to farmers in other countries which precipitated its economy’s collapse.
Funds for the procurement of the biofertilizers would be sourced from the fertilizer support program of the national rice program.Flawed premise “There is a need to investigate the basis for the issuance of MO No. 32, whether the price of fertilizer and the cost of urea per bag are indeed high enough to warrant the insistence of the DA in using biofertilizer,” the resolution stated.
“The procurement agency and its auditors may not know how to specify biofertilizer quality and price,” she said, adding that any invitation for bidding might not draw many suppliers and raised the possibility that while the procurement process would look competitive on paper, it would not reflect reality.
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