Inner Truth

Of Smugglers, Hoarders, Cartels

DESPITE OUR VERY rigid law on anti agricultural smuggling, still these market disruptors (hoarders, manipulators and smugglers) proliferate simply because they have power, connections and money.

Not even the tight law on cartelized operations could stop them and noticeably not one of the perpetrators of these market malpractices are being charged and put behind bars because of their deep connections with the powers- that-be (past or present).

I am not surprised that even sitting President Marcos Jr. is now blaming the unnamed  “spoiled officials” of the Duterte era for smuggling and hoarding that kept rice (and other foodstuff) prices high for years during his term.

But wait, there are also officials within the palace halls and those other influential offices that protect smugglers and hoarders and they are so influential to even dictate the volume of importation of all agricultural products. 

BIGGEST SMUGGLERS

Marcos, in debuting his podcast, said the previous administration officials profited from legal and illegal rice imports, which distorted the market and drove prices up. “Ang mga opisyal natin, spoiled—basta import lang nang import, legalman o illegal,” he said. “Ang pang-kontrol nila sa presyo ng bigas ay smuggled rice. Dahil dito, nagkakaroon ng hoarding.”

He further claimed that some of the biggest rice smugglers were public officials themselves.

Marcos, who ran in 2022 with the promise of bringing down prices to P20/kg, vents his frustration after seeing that prices continue to hover around P50/kg in most wet and private stalls and supermarkets.

KADIWA STORES

For most of his three years in office, only the Kadiwa stores (operated by the Department of Agriculture and Food Terminal Inc) are able to supply the consumers (especially the low-income buyers) his promised P20/kg rice in 2025. “Bakit nila papalitan ang sistema?” he said, criticizing the status quo when he assumed office. 

Marcos noted that prices stayed high from 2022 to 2024 even as his administration fervently tried to boost local production through subsidies, irrigation projects and distributing farm machineries.  

He vented that “2023 saw the highest palay harvest in Philippine history—and 2024 surpassed that.”

With improved harvests and supply, rice prices are finally beginning to ease—at least in government-supported channels.

LAX ENFORCEMENT

Understandably, hoarders, smugglers and price manipulators thrive because they see that enforcement of the new anti agricultural smuggling law is very weak. They even laugh about the supposed rigid penalties of the law.

Consumers and farmers are one in saying that weak monitoring and law enforcement have emboldened  these market distorters to continue with their game.

Even at peak harvest of rice and other agricultural products, these market distorters don’t give a damn if their greed cuts both ways to the detriment of local farmers and the buying public.

And as always, the government only issues threats after threats against them without a serious follow through on their pronouncements.

It would be good for consumers and local producers alike if they would see even one big hoarder or price manipulator languishing in jail.

That would be one big feather on the cap of this administration, especially if the one to be punished is part of the current administration.

It would not look good if the one being punished is from Duterte’s camp– which would only reflect the vindictiveness of this administration.

#agrismuggling

#innertruth

#spoiledofficials

#Marcosdebutpodcast

#laxenforcement

#weakmonitoring

#thephinsider