Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Wednesday demanded answers over the entry of P86 million worth of imported red onions that were later abandoned at the Manila International Container Port despite complaints from local farmers about oversupply and collapsing farm-gate prices.
Sen. Pangilinan joined officials of the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Plant Industry in inspecting 26 twenty-foot containers loaded with red onions at the MICP on June 10.
The senator said the shipment raised serious questions about why large volumes of imported onions were still entering the country while local farmers were struggling to sell their produce.
“Habang nabubulok ang sibuyas ng ating mga magsasaka, ito namang imported onions ay nabulok din matapos maiwan at hindi ma-claim. Kung ganito ang nangyayari, kailangan nating tanungin kung bakit may pumapasok pang ganitong kalaking volume ng imported onions sa kabila ng sapat na lokal na suplay,” Sen. Pangilinan said.
Sen. Pangilinan said the abandoned shipment underscored long-standing concerns raised by onion growers, particularly in Nueva Ecija, that imports continue to depress prices despite sufficient local supply.
“Kung lehitimo ang shipment na ito, bakit iniwan na lamang at hindi na-claim? Bakit hindi binayaran ang kaukulang buwis at mga bayarin? Dapat masagot ito upang mapanagot ang mga nasa likod nito at maprotektahan ang ating mga magsasaka,” he said.
The shipments arrived between Dec. 13, 2025 and Jan. 23, 2026. Authorities later declared the containers abandoned under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act after the importers failed to claim the goods and pay the required duties and taxes within the prescribed period.
A subsequent inspection by authorities showed that the containers held P86 million worth of smuggled red onions from China.
Sen. Pangilinan said the seizure validated the concerns raised during a Senate public hearing he convened in Nueva Ecija on March 26, 2026 under Senate Resolution 344, which looked into the collapse of onion farm-gate prices and the continued entry of imports despite local oversupply.
“Bakit tayo mag-i-import kung marami ngang supply dito sa atin? Ito ang tanong na paulit-ulit na lumabas sa ating public hearing,” Sen. Pangilinan said.
“Ang pagpasok ng imported onions sa panahon ng oversupply ay lalo lamang nagpapabagsak sa presyo at nagpapahirap sa ating mga magsasaka,” he added.
Sen. Pangilinan, the re-elected chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, said stronger safeguards are needed to protect farmers from poorly timed importation, smuggling and weak supply management.
“Hindi dapat nabubulok ang sibuyas ng ating mga magsasaka, at hindi rin dapat nasasayang ang mga produktong pumapasok sa bansa,” Sen. Pangilinan said.
“Ang kailangan natin ay maayos na pamamahala ng suplay, mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng batas, at mga polisiyang inuuna ang kapakanan ng ating mga magsasaka,” he added.