DA-BFAR says Filipino fishing boat ‘rammed’; China says they were ‘besieged’
by Marje Pelayo | Posted on Monday, June 17th, 2019
(L-R) Crewmen of the sunken fishing vessel, F/B GEN-VER 1 reunited with their families; wreckage of F/B GEN-VER 1 after getting hit by a Chinese vessel at Recto Bank on June 9, 2019.
MANILA, Philippines – The Filipino fishing boat was ‘hit’ and ‘rammed’.
This was emphasized by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) after numerous versions of the incident in Recto Bank surfaced over the weekend.
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol answered questions on his social media account “to correct insinuations that the Filipino fishermen lied” about the incident.
“The captain and crew of the fishing boat stated from the very beginning that they were hit by a Chinese boat. The Chinese initially said it was not certain but later on admitted that the vessel involved in the “ramming” or collision incident was indeed a Chinese boat,” Piñol explained, referring to the question of whether it was indeed a Chinese vessel which hit F/B GEN-VER 1 of the Filipino fishermen.
Piñol also confirmed that the Filipino fishing boat indeed sank, to clear doubts after the vessel was shown sailing back to San Jose in Oriental Mindoro aided by the Philippine Navy.
“The captain and the crew said they had to jump into the water because their boat sank,” the Agriculture Secretary emphasized.
He posted a photo sent by BFAR Director Elizer Salilig which showed a sunken F/B GEN-VER 1 with its bow jutting out of the water.
“Rescuers later refloated the boat and repaired its damaged tailfin,” he added.
The captain of the Filipino boat in an interview said they were rescued by Vietnamese crewmen who were in the vicinity.
“Nagsenyasan kami. Sabi niya: ‘Vietnam, Philippines friends,'” kaya alam kong Vietnam,” Junel Insigne, the captain of the Filipino fishing boat said.
(We used sign language. He said: “Vietnam, Philippines friends,” that’s how I knew they were Vietnamese.)
On Friday, China’s Embassy in Manila admitted that it was a Chinese vessel that hit a Philippine boat at Recto Bank on Sunday (June 9).
However, China claimed that the Chinese vessel Yuemaobinyu 42212 was berthed at the vicinity when “suddenly besieged by 7 or 8 Filipino fishing boats.”
“During evacuation, 42212 failed to shun a Filipino fishing boat, and its steel cable on the lighting grid of larboard bumped into the Filipino pilothouse. The Filipino fishing boat tilted and its stern foundered,” the Embassy said in the statement.
“The Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipino fishermen, but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats,” the statement read further.
The Embassy said that the Chinese crewmen decided to sail away after confirming that the fishermen from the Filipino boat were rescued by other Filipino fishing boats.
“The above shows that there is no such thing as “hit-and-run”, the Chinese Embassy said.
It added that China will continue to properly handle the issue with the Philippines “in a serious and responsible manner.”
“The two sides are maintaining close communication through diplomatic channels,” it added.
Amid the issues surrounding the incident, Secretary Piñol believes it is best to conduct an investigation on the matter.
“Whether it was an accidental collision or intentional ramming is an issue that is better resolved through the conduct of a maritime investigation,” he concluded.
Piñol said they already submitted the incident report to President Rodrigo Duterte. — with reports from Rosalie Coz
by Marje Pelayo | Posted on Friday, July 19th, 2019
Boxes of pork items from Poland intercepted in Cebu on June 27 | Courtesy: BAI
MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has intercepted a number of pork products from Hong Kong and China at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in between June 19 to 28.
The items didn’t have sanitary and phytosanitary clearances from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and could have been infested by the deadly pig virus African Swine Fever (ASF).
China is one of the 19 countries from where entry of pork and pork-based products are banned.
From a total of 400 samples that BAI examined, 34 tested positive of ASF and these products could have caused infestation in the country’s hog industry if they were not intercepted.
Germany was the latest addition to the list of countries where entry of pork products to the Philippines was banned.
Though there were no reports yet of ASF-infestation in Germany, the Philippines included it in the list after a German company exported pork products to the Philippines along with some 250 kilograms of pork from ASF-hit Poland.
The said shipment was intercepted in Cebu on June 27 which included 27 boxes of pork items from Poland.
That incident, according to Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, was a clear violation of the country’s Quarantine Law thus resulting in the ban of pork products from Germany.
“Nakikiusap ako.(‘Im appealing to you) Please understand, these are extraordinary times. We cannot take the risk,” Secretary Piñol said.
“Kasi tingnan mo, Germany napaka-respectable na bansa nyan. It’s export country known for its high standards, nasingitan tayo, (You see Germany is a highly respected country. It’s exports are known for its high standards but some banned (pork) slip past their screening,)” he explained.
Piñol stressed that ASF infestation would compromise the country’s P260-B worth of hog industry.
Some of the Philippines’ neighboring countries have already declared an outbreak of ASF such as Vietnam and Cambodia.
In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked store owners to self-recall pork products from China that covers those manufactured since the start of the import ban.
Still, Piñol assures the Philippines’ hog industry remains ASF free. – with reports from Rey Pelayo
by Marje Pelayo | Posted on Wednesday, July 17th, 2019
Rice farmers in the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – Local farmers may lose up to P114 billion if the farm gate price of fresh palay remains low, according to Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol.
At present, the price of palay ranges only from P12/kg to P14/kg which is lower than the P20/kg, the price that was in effect before the implementation of the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL) in March.
Secretary Piñol noted that traders earn huge income from the liberalization of rice importation.
He also pointed out that the landed cost of rice is only a small amount like those which are imported from Myanmar which is only P18/kg.
Because the new law stripped off National Food Authority’s (NFA) regulatory function, traders have become aggressive in pushing for more importation.
“Masyadong ganadong mag-import yung mga trader right now kasi feeling nila wala ng magko-control sa presyo ng bentahan ng bigas sa palengke. So napakalaki ng margin of profit nila, (Traders have become more aggressive to import because they believe nobody else will control the pricing of rice in local markets so their margin of profit is increasing),” the Agriculture chief said.
Based on the Department of Agriculture’s monitoring, rice prices at present ranges from P32/kg up to P70/kg with only about P1 to P2 drop per kilogram.
This is about a quarter of the expected reduction in the price of commercial rice in relation to the implementation of the rice tariffication law which is supposedly P7/kg.
The Department is set to implement the suggested retail price (SRP) on commercial rice starting next week which ranges from P35/kg to P38/kg.
“We would like to address the greed of some importers doon sa markup nilang napakalaki (regarding their very high markup) by setting a cap on the selling price of imported rice
The official said the implementation of the SRP is based on the Price Act wherein violators may be fined.
The NFA already implemented the SRP on rice in the past but it was invalidated due to the implementation of the RTL.
Piñol said that the law did not specify a limit on the amount of rice that the country may import.
However, it gives the President the authority to increase tariff in the event of oversupply. – with details from Rey Pelayo
by Marje Pelayo | Posted on Friday, July 12th, 2019
Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte confirmed on Thursday (July 11) that Chief Minister Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has approved the transfer of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to head the Mindanao Development Authority (MINDA).
The agreement transpired during Murad’s meeting with the President on Wednesday (July 10).
The President vouched for Piñol as he said he needs someone to be his ‘point man’ in the region.
“(We are trying to) fine tune. The truth of the matter is I really transferred Piñol to assist them. Hindi naman to husbandry,” the President said.
“Wala akong point man doon na tagaroon, doon pinanganak, doon lumaki, farmer, became governor (I don’t have a point man there who was born and raised there, someone who’s a farmer and has served as governor),” he added.
“I’m sure he can help the BARMM and the government to fast track. I am most interested na makita na ng Moro people ang hinihingi nila (for the Moro people to see what they asked for),” Duterte explained, adding that aside from Murad, the other BARMM ministers also said ‘yes’ to the proposal. – with reports from Rosalie Coz
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