Vietnam has rice after all, but…

So, after all, Vietnam has enough rice to sell us 1.5 million metric tons a year. That, however, does not solve our rice problem and the expected shortage with our population growing at the present rate.

In short, what is needed is a master plan that will assure we don’t face the possibility of a shortage of the prime staple. And it is apparent even now that the government must stir itself so that such a prospect should never happen.

We cannot allow procrastination to beguile us into thinking that a problem goes away by just letting things run their course.

But the more important thing is for the government now to crack down – and hard – on traders manipulating the perception and impression of an impending shortage to pick the pockets of the consumers. Especially, the lowly ones.

It is a fact that there are enough cereals to go around. Until the traders start hoarding their stocks to artificially create a crisis situation that will mean bigger profits for them.

Negros Oriental also denied it has rice shortage. So with Iloilo and Capiz. In short, all the evidence points to the fact that we have enough of the staple to last us until the end of the year.

So actually, there is no need for the rapid increases in rice prices. But, last week, I bought Rosanna rice at P1,500 per 50-kilogram bag. Yesterday, according to the house helper of my daughter, Mate, she bought it at P1,600.

That could only mean that the trader was raising prices at his own whims and caprices. Just to gain more from the sale of stocks which must already be in. That’s clear proof that some unscrupulous merchants are victimizing the consuming public.

***

Did you notice the string of power outages last week? They often lasted only a few minutes. But they wrecked havoc on home appliances.

But I learned yesterday form personnel at the Silay Airport that these brownouts have made officials there jittery. And the reason is that they don’t have a generator which could provide power when the Central Negros Electric Cooperative conks out.

Several, including porters, deeply admitted that the brownouts have become irritating. Why? Because they pose the possibility of a brownout when a plane is landing and the runway lights go pfft.

And, yes, the other side of it. Computers and other sophisticated equipment can go kaput.

While I focused my concern on our home appliances, it seems that the periodic and unannounced brownouts also pose danger to airline passengers.

“Sometimes there are six such outages a day. And often unannounced,” commented our airport personnel.

And he added that airport officials are getting worried about the dangers these outages pose to airline commuters.

So, what is the explanation of Ceneco officials? Especially, Chairman Roberto Montelibano? We know that the shortage of power is getting serious. But we don’t know it is that critical.

Perhaps, Montelibano could allay the fears of the public about the situation.

We are keeping our fingers crossed.

***

Confed national President Jose Zubiri came out Wednesday with the optimistic prediction on the outcome of the anti-smuggling campaign by the joint task force of the sugar industry, the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the PASG.

“I have noticed a drop in the amount of smuggled sugar.” He reported to the Confed national board Wednesday.

But, as pointed out by Administrator Rafael Coscolluela the government is focusing on three cities of Mindanao its efforts to curb smuggling of sugar. And the fourth, of course is the Port of Manila as well as the Batangas Port.

So far, the anti-smuggling drive has netted some P54-million worth of sugar. Good. But the question – who have been charged with smuggling?

Sure, the smuggled items are also being offered to the CBWs for auction. But that does not solve the problem that these sugar simply add up to our domestic stocks. But the more important thing is that nobody big has been charged in court for the act of bringing in illegally foreign sugar, most of them from Thailand.

Sugar people cannot rest on their laurels. Without the smugglers being put on the dock with prospects of prolonged jail sentences, it seems that they just do it next time, confident that they will go scoot free. Don’t just cut the tree. Uproot it.

***

The purchase of expensive cars by provincial board members may be legal. The question however, is it moral?

In short, what are your priorities, gentlemen?

This is a crisis moment in our history. But if our board members consider the expensive vehicles as their priority concern so they could consult with their constituents, they may have a lot of questions to answer from their district voters.

It is good, according to provincial accountant Percival Salado, that the vehicles have not yet been paid for. Thus, there is still time for some of them to re-think their decision.

One, for example, does not need a brand new Ford Everest to go around a district. Besides, that is the type of vehicle that is described as a gas guzzler. In short, it eats up as much gas as several other vehicles of the same type or ride.

Thus, it is a double-whammy. The upkeep in gasoline alone could prove very expensive.

Well, it’s time for the board members to explain in public to their constituents why their decision to buy the expensive vehicles that are gluttons for fuel. At a time when even the President had called on government officials to conserve on energy use.*

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