Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

China Bans RP Products

Due to the dispute of ownership over the Scarborough Shoal, the Chinese banned the entry of Philippines export to China. Chinese  quarantine authorities had prevented the entry of Philippine Cavendish banana to China. The reason according to the Chinese is the presence of plant pest with the bananas inside the container vans.

There are some 1,000 bananas container vans in some piers in China which are rotten considering the short keeping quality of bananas. If the ban will continue some 15,000 hectares of banana crops will not be marketed. China ranks fourth  banana importer from the Philippines.

Moreover, beside banana, other fruits like mangoes and pineapples are not accepted entrance to China now. Pnoy has suggested to fruit businessmen to expand their markets for bananas to other countries. 

However, plant pathologists and entomologists from the Bureau of Plant Industry, after their own examination,  found no pest of bananas. What they found was the pest which attacks coconuts. 

Filipino authorities on plant pests and diseases cannot also believe banana exported to China is pests infested as it passes through rigid quarantine treatment such as fumigation, and hot water treatment. Moreover, until today, no country which import Philippine bananas has complained of any pests in bananas. 

Not only that, China has prevented the enrollment of thousands of Chinese students in the Philippines. It also prevented their Chinese tourists from visiting the Philippines. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines had suspended their flights to Beijing, Shanghai and other Chinese destinations. 

With these actions, China is becoming a bad neighbor, unfriendly, pushing the Filipinos to a very tight situation. 

With what China is doing to the Philippines, Filipinos might as well return the compliment. Anyway, their goods exported to the Philippines are of very inferior quality. Last week, I bought a “Made in China” ballpen at P5.00 a piece. After one minute writing, it runs out of ink. What a waste!

On the other hand, the Chinese bullying in the Scarborough Shoal has awaken our Filipino leaders. Now we are seriously arming ourselves to protect Philippines territory. There are pledges of military assistance from Japan, South Korea and Australia.

The United States of America will provide navy vessels, fighter jet planes and other war hardwares. Top US officials are also assuring the Filipinos of their compliance to the provisions of the more than 60 years old Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States of America. 

ASEAN, US Talk Security

The US and Southeast Asian nations embarked on three days of talks Sunday that would include security cooperation shortly after a Pentagon report raised concerns about China’s military build-up. The Philippines hosted the discussions.  

“Eminent persons” and senior officials from the United States and ASEAN met from May 20 to 22 in Manila, US embassy and Philippine Foreign Affairs department statements said.

Deepening security cooperation, climate change, trade and investment were discussed over the three days talks. They also “reviewed key elements of the US-ASEAN partnership”, the US embassy said.  /MP