LOCAL government should be held accountable if the flow of the delivery of agricultural foods continues to be disrupted by checkpoints in their areas and results in serious problems for the government.

The warning was aired by Rosendo So, chairman of the Samahan ng Industriyang Agrikultura (SINAG) citing series of memorandums, advisories or orders from no less than President Duterte, Agriculture Secretary William Dar and Secretary Karlo Nograles of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that clearly ordered the free and unhampered transport of agricultural goods.

He said, “nothing happened and it became even chaotic” when local governments even insisted to compel drivers of delivery trucks going Metro Manila to be quarantined on their return trip.

“How can they travel again to other places to deliver goods like rice and agricultural products?” he asked as he observed that some checkpoints continue to flag down vehicles carrying agricultural goods and some even prevent them from passing by their area.

So said the national government should investigate local governments that stop the cargo trucks transporting vegetables and livestock, suspecting that the local governments don’t read the circulars from the IATF.

He added that “somebody must be held liable for not following orders from the national government”.

Added complication posed by the delayed or stopped delivery, many supplies will be spoiled or rotten especially vegetables and go to waste instead of being consumed by residents on quarantine.

So said if the flow of agricultural goods distribution will continue to be disrupted, there will be an artificial spike of price. (PhilStar Wire Service/ECV)

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