Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Get There On Time

A Cebu Pacific Air Boarding Pass carries a warning on its Kalibo – Manila flight stated: "You must be at the boarding gate 30 minutes before flight departure as we close the gate 15 minutes before the flight. If you are not there when gates close, you will not be allowed to board" (the plane).

Who will Cebu Pacific Air personnel prevent from boarding the plane if there is no passengers by the boarding gate when it is closed?

The Manila-Kalibo flight of Cebu Pacific Air which left NAIA at 1740 hours on Wednesday, December 2 has only seven (7) passengers. Who said there are more visitors and tourists going to Kalibo?

Budget Deficit May Hit P324 B

The 2009 national budget deficit could reach P324 billion because of the need to pump-prime the economy. FITCH Ratings said, "a P324 billion deficit is equivalent to four (4) percent of the expected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2009.

It was earlier expected the deficit could only hit P266 billion, but due to higher public spending, the forecast was revised. The Philippine government will spend more for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of damages left by tropical storms "Ondoy" and "Pepeng". How about the damages typhoon Frank left on June 21, 2008? Where is the Paglaum Fund?

Swift Justice for Journalists

Of the 57 persons recorded dead in the Maguindanao Massacre, 30 are journalists while 27 were civilians. This made the total number of journalists assassinated to 134 in the Philippines since 1986. Out of this number 74 cases or 55 percent happened from 2001 under the watch of Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

These 30 deaths in one incident made the Philippines the most dangerous country of the world for working journalists. Moreover, they were killed in the most brutal, inhuman, cruel manner which could have been done by evil because of unsatiable greed for honor, power, and money.

Why did the Presidential Assistant visited the house of the alleged criminal to beg for his surrender? A member of the clan gave in to the request of Sec. Jesus Dureza. Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. was met by Justice Sec. Agnes Devanadera in General Santos City to show a tender loving treatment to the member of a clan which helped Ms. Arroyo conquered Malacañang Palace.

Let us remember the Peninsula Hotel Siege in November 2007 when Sen. Antonio Trillanes and Gen. Danilo Lim marched out of the Makati Court hearing and garrisoned in Peninsula Hotel, Makati City. When the siege ended, several journalists were loaded into bus with their wrist tied with ropes and plastic strips used for dangerous prisoners. Are the journalists who were there to gather news criminals like the Ampatuans?

In the case of Andal Ampatuan, Jr. who is alleged mastermined of the massacre, with men and women still breathing buried into common grave was allowed to ride the plane not handcuffed. When he came out of the plane, he appeared like the guest of the AFP.

The present govern-ment of Ms. Arroyo maybe returning favors to the Ampatuans. In the 2004 election, Ms. Arroyo got 200,000 votes as against FPJ’s 60,000 in Maguindanao. In 2007 election, Team Unity of Malacañang won 12 – 0 in its Senatorial slate.

But is there justice? Is it fair to all concern? Is there equality? Will that promote goodwill and better understanding? The Maguindanao Massacre demonstrated candidly that the Arroyo government administration of justice makes distinction between friend or foe, rich or poor, weak or strong, black or white.

NFA To Import Million Tons of Rice

The National Food Authority (NFA) is scheduled to import one million metric tons of rice this year. NFA deputy Administrator Ludovico Jarina said "it would be good for the country to lock in supply at…low prices before other countries import their own rice requirements."

Vinafood 2, a top Vietnamese rice exporter offered to supply 600,000 metric tons at US$598 per metric ton. Louis Dreyfus Commodities Asia–Pte Ltd. bidded for US$ 599 per metric ton, while another offer was given for US$630 per metric ton. The offers included freight.

If the deal is agreed, the Philippines will import rice at a cost ranging form US$ 0.60 to US$0.63 per kilogram or P28.20 to P29.75 per kilogram at a conversion rate of US$ 1 to P47.20.

This imported rice will be much expensive than the NFA buying price for locally produced palay. Consider this: A 100 kilogram palay at P12 per kilo will cost P1,200. At 60 percent milling recovery means 60 kilograms clean rice after milling. Add the cost of milling, trans-portation and handling including sacks, the cost will be much smaller than the imported rice. It may only cost between P26 to P28 per kilogram.

In view of the series of typhoons and floods that devastated Philippine Agriculture making the Philippines short of rice, the government is forced to import rice from abroad.

But does the govern-ment through the NFA pay higher price for the imported rice than the palay it buys from the Filipino farmers? /MP