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Projected increases in prices of selected agricultural products once VAT hike is approved

Anti-VAT activists raise price alert

if 12 percent VAT is approved

Beef to reach P 260 per kilo, Pork P 180 per kilo and Chicken P 120 per kilo



Contrary to Malacañang’s claim that prices of agricultural products would not go up even if Congress passed the 2 point increase in the value added tax (VAT) from 10 to 12 percent, the militant group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said established cartels and monopolies in the agricultural sector would use the hike in VAT as an excuse to raise prices of agricultural products by 20 percent.



Pamalakaya national Fernando Hicap, who earlier predicted that price of galunggong per kilo would increase from P 100 to P 115 to P 120 per kilo, presented a run down of prices on selected agricultural products and how the new 12 percent VAT would affect the price movement in the market.



Agricultural

Products Current Prices New Prices if 2 % VAT hike is approved



Pork P 150 per kilo P 180 per kilo

Beef P 220 per kilo P 264 per kilo

Chicken P 100 per kilo P 120 per kilo

Galunggong P 100 per kilo P 120 per kilo

Hasa-hasa P 120 per kilo P 144 per kilo

Bisugo P 120 per kilo P 144 per kilo

Bangus P 100 per kilo P 120 per kilo

Onion P 60 per kilo P 72 per kilo

Tomato P 40 per kilo P 48 per kilo

Potato P 60 per kilo P 72 per kilo

Carrot P 60 per kilo P 72 per kilo

Cabbage P 50 per kilo P 60 per kilo

Eggplant P 25 per kilo P 30 per kilo

Cooking Oil

(long neck) P 40 bottle P 48 per bottle

Cooking Oil

(lapad) P 20 bottle P 24 per bottle



“ The 20 percent increase will reflect the cost spent for the transportation and other intermediary expenses used in delivering these agricultural products to the market. This might include syndicated overpricing adjustments being carried by trading monopolies and cartels in the agricultural sectors that normally dictate the prices of products,” Hicap added.



Pamalakaya said fisherfolk, farmers and petty producers of agricultural products will not benefit from any increase in the prices of agricultural products because their product are hostage by underpricing activities of big agricultural producers and buyers.



The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance said the Malacañang backed 20 percent increase in the present VAT is anti-rural producers, anti-consumers, grossly regressive and highly inflammatory that merit the national condemnation and outright rejection across the country.



Pamalakaya is expected to join the February 16 nationally coordinated mass action against the VAT increase. The big rally will be spearheaded by the newly formed Kontra-KulimVAT, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Gabriela, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and other allied militant groups.



“ This just the beginning of the escalating protest against the VAT hike project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the IMF-WB oligarchs. The showdown has just started”, the group added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 11:42 | link | comments |

How about logging clients of Malacañang

Militant group said DENR only running after small time loggers
How about Palace’s big time logging clients?

The left-leaning fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday said government was only running after small time loggers and consciously spared big time logging corporations from its’ campaign to punish corporations and vested interests behind the flash floods and landslides which killed more than 1,000 people in Quezon and Aurora provinces last month.

Obviously, the group was referring to separate cases to be filed by the national government against three mayors identified with the ruling administration party Lakas-CMD, an ex-congressman and a barangay captain.

“ How about the big logging clients of Malacañang in Aurora and Quezon provinces. Are they not responsible for the destruction of environment and loss of human lives and livelihood?” Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya’s Corpuz noted that the six big logging corporations operating in Quezon and Aurora, whose permits were approved since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001 were spared from the anti-logging campaign of the national government.

Corpuz said the logging corporations, which were not included in the anti-logging campaign of the government constituted the group “ Survivor Six”, which is composed of Green Circles Corp. (30,000 hectares in General Nakar), International Hardwood and Veneer Corporation (13,527 hectares in Mauban, Quezon), Timberland Forest Products (34,660 hectares in Gen. Nakar, Quezon), Industries Development Corp. (48,777 hectares in Aurora province), RCC Timber Co. (23,140 hectares in Aurora) and Top Lite Corp. (8,630 hectares in Aurora).

“ These log struck companies were not blamed by Secretary Mike Defensor for their widespread logging operations in Aurora and Quezon. Simply because, these six logging giants are dear clients of present occupants in Malacañang,” Corpuz added.

Corpuz said the supposed charging of criminal and administrative charges by the government to the three mayors, ex-congressman and a barangay captain was only part of the cheap publicity stint of Malacañang and that President Arroyo was not really after big time logging syndicates which managed to obtain legal permits from the Office of the President and the DENR.

“ President Arroyo and her past environmental secretaries are criminally liable for the massive death and destruction in Aurora and Quezon provinces. The Office of the President and the DENR deserved public outrage and wholesale condemnation, nothing more, nothing less”, Pamalakaya said.

On January 2001, the government allowed International Hardwood and Veneer Corp. to operate on the 13,527 hectares of forest areas in Mauban, Quezon and on November 12, 2002, the national government through the DENR approved the logging operation of Timberland Forest Products covering 34, 660 hectares in General Nakar, Quezon.

Pamalakaya said President Arroyo also approved the application for logging operations of Industries Development Corp. and RCC Timber Corporation on December 5, 2001 covering Aurora province through the IFMA. The two logging companies were allowed to cover 48, 877 hectares and 23,140 hectares respectively.

On July 9, 2002, the DENR approved the logging permit of Top Lite Corp. also in Aurora, which covered 8,630 hectares. While ex-DENR secretary Elisea Gozun suspended the permit for quite sometime, new environment secretary Michael Defensor overturned the decision and lifted the suspension two weeks ago. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:27 | link | comments |

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