Oust Diokno, Balisacan
By J.Lo
"More agricultural groups are joining call of rice industry stakeholders to reject all proposals to reduce or remove tariffs on our most loved food commodities: rice, pork, chicken and corn…we all know that Secretaries Diokno and Balisacan are not only proposing tariff reduction on rice; but also, on pork, chicken and corn," Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) chairman Rosendo So said more farmers' groups joined calls for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.to remove Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan over their alleged preferential treatment on importation by moving to bring down tariffs on rice and other imported agricultural products.
At least 20 more peasant organizations signed petition to replace Diokno and Balisacan, after six groups initiated campaign to axe duo members of FMJ economic team.
So vowed more protest actions will be held in front of Department of Finance building to bat for removal of Diokno and Balisacan.
He stressed other farmer groups involved in livestock, poultry, corn and allied sectors support efforts to bring to FMJ opposition of entire local agriculture industry on alleged plot of Diokno and Balisacan on tariff reductions.
"It is easy for Balisacan and Diokno to say tariff reduction will not affect farmers as they only stay in offices, far from mud and hard life of farmers," So maintained.
He said reducing or eliminating rice tariffs would put in peril tariff collection under Rice Tariffication Law.
"Projected 3.9 million metric tons of rice imports next year would mean loss of P33.5 billion for rice industry…revenue losses from tariff reduction from pork imports would mean forgone revenues of P16 billion to P18 billion, while tariff reduction for chicken imports would mean government losses of P6 to 8 billion," he concluded.
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