What social media doesn't tell you about vegetable dumping

By Yvette Tan

Published Jun 19, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Jun 18, 2026 04:45 pm

AVANT GARDENER

It seems that one can’t open social media without encountering a post about vegetable dumping, its comment section filled with netizens angrily wondering why nothing is being done.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Executive Directors (RED) Rose Mary G. Aquino, PhD (Region II); Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan, CESO III (CAR); and Engr. Redeliza Gruezo (Region IV-A) explained in Tagalog why vegetable dumping keeps happening, what is being done to prevent it, and who should be held responsible.

First, they addressed the lack of a planting calendar. “We’ve been advocating for crop programming, but farmers are still hesitant,” Dawayan said, reporting on what farmers and provincial agriculturists said during the Farmers’ Congress in Benguet and Mountain Province. “Farmers in rain-fed areas will only plant when there’s water.”

Other reasons include,” harvests being sold exclusively to trading posts, which will receive the goods whether the market is up or down,” as well as a prevailing attitude of “If s/he can plant it, why can’t I? What if s/he hits it big and I don’t?”

Aquino added that the more farmers plant the same crop, the less likely their whole crop will be ravaged by pests, which means that they will still have something to sell. “There’s a relevance when it comes to pest outbreaks,” she said. “It’s a big effect on income because an attack can be tantamount to a 40-50 percent yield reduction. That’s huge.”

Gruezo agreed. “Aside from the technical aspects, it’s also about values. We keep promoting venturing into other commodities, but they keep planting tomatoes. They say, ‘Dito kami jajackpot, dito kami lulugi, dito pa rin. (This is where we’ll hit the jackpot, this is where we’ll lose, this is where we’ll stay.)’ It’s their expertise.”

Farmers are known for their ‘to see is to believe’ attitude, and when they see their neighbor making it big with a crop, they’re apt to follow, which could lead to an oversupply. When this happens, netizens tend to place the blame solely on the national government without also holding more directly involved players accountable.

While vegetable dumping gets massive attention on social media, Aquino explained that it’s not the whole picture. “They don’t lose money 12 months of the year… There’s a time when they earn big. People ask why they don’t plant other crops. They plant [the same crops] because they know that there’s a time of the year when they’ll earn a lot. We can even declare them millionaires because that’s how much they sell,” she said. “They know that they’ll lose money during a certain time of the year, but they’ll break even or make more when prices are high.”

Dawayan explained that, for tomatoes in particular, one plant can yield 18 primings, or harvests, with each harvest yielding fewer of their desired size or color. If well cared for, the farmer would have made a profit by the 3rd or 4th priming. Some dumped tomatoes come from the later harvests.

She also addressed the common netizen refrain of “Why can’t they just turn it into sauce?” “It doesn’t work that way,” Dawayan said, adding that they have already explored processing. “Even processing has its own quality requirements.”

Aquino brought up something important. Even if processing were possible, would there be a guaranteed market for the resulting product? “Processing is preservation so that [something] doesn’t go to waste. But a majority of consumers still prefer fresh [tomatoes].”

Sometimes, an oversupply is actually a logistics issue. “Can it still be called an oversupply if there’s an excess in one area and none in another?” Dawayan asked. If this is the case, solving it will require cooperation between agencies and organizations, not just the DA.

This doesn’t mean that vegetable dumping should be condoned. What the REDs are saying is that the DA has been looking for ways to end the practice, but they can’t do it themselves. “The DA has two faces: national and local government units. We should be helping each other, but when there’s a problem on social media, [it’s National] that gets attacked,” Aquino said, adding that it’s important that each player’s role is understood so that the proper parties are held responsible.

“All I ask on the part of media is it would be nice if they also covered the times when the farmers hit it big… when they’re instantly buying pickup trucks,” she added. “Not just when they’re throwing harvests away.”

It’s very easy to blame a nebulous entity when something goes wrong. However, part of repairing a broken system involves relevant parties taking responsibility for their actions. As the REDs point out, the DA can only do so much on a national scale. Other players closer to the ground, like local governments, farmers, and consumers, need to do their part as well.

Third BTS concert date added in Bulacan amid high demand

By Jonathan Hicap

Concert promoter Live Nation Philippines announced on June 17 that a third show will take place on March 16, 2027, at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bulacan, joining the previously scheduled March 13 and 14 performances.

“ARMY. One more night, one more chance to experience BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN BULACAN,” the promoter said in its announcement, confirming the additional show for the group’s highly anticipated return to the country.   

The expansion of the concert schedule comes after widespread calls from fans, with many Filipino ARMY members urging organizers to add another date after thousands were unable to secure tickets for the initial two shows, both of which sold out quickly.

Ticket access for the newly added concert will follow a staggered sale schedule, with an ARMY Membership presale set on June 19 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., followed by the general onsale on June 20 starting 9 a.m. 

BTS' "Arirang" world tour in Bulacan (Live Nation Philippines)

BTS' "Arirang" world tour in Bulacan (Live Nation Philippines)

BTS' "Arirang" world tour in Bulacan (Live Nation Philippines)

BTS' "Arirang" world tour in Bulacan (Live Nation Philippines)

BIRTHDAY OF DR. JOSE RIZAL

Sa pagsaulog sa adlawng natawhan ni Dr. José Rizal, atong pasidunggan ang iyang talagsaong kabilin sa patriotismo, kaalam, ug gugma alang sa nasud. Hinaut nga ang iyang mga prinsipyo ug sakripisyo magpadayon nga mahimong inspirasyon sa matag Pilipino sa pag-alagad ug pagpalambo sa atong nasud.

In celebration of Dr. José Rizal's birthday, let us honor his remarkable legacy of patriotism, wisdom, and love for the country. May his principles and sacrifices continue to be an inspiration to every Filipino to serve and develop our country.

PREPAREDNESS STILL MOST RELIABLE DEFENSE VS EARTHQUAKE

SPECIAL ON SATURDAY: No technology exists that can predict the exact date, time, or location of an earthquake, PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol said Saturday, stressing that preparedness remains the only reliable defense against seismic disasters.

Bacolcol told DZRH News that while science can offer estimates—such as the West Valley Fault potentially moving anywhere between 2058 and 2258—exact prediction remains beyond current capability.

The statement came days after the June 8 magnitude 7.8 Mindanao earthquake, which has since generated 4,554 aftershocks and left at least 46 dead, 688 injured, and 38 missing.

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Goodbye ₱50 fees? DOF plans to bring local bank transfer costs down to ₱2

 

By Derco Rosal

Published Jun 18, 2026 05:30 pm

President Marcos’ chief economic manager has raised concerns over the country’s high digital transaction costs, pushing for reforms that would align fees across public and private payment channels and slash charges from their current levels.

Speaking during a media roundtable, Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go said that reducing these transaction costs is a primary agenda of his leadership, citing the stark gap between local fees and those in neighboring Asian nations.

“There’s one thing I’m obsessing about—the very high digital transaction costs in the Philippines,” Go told reporters, pointing out that local transaction fees can soar to as high as ₱50, while regional peers charge only cents or nothing at all.

Go’s sentiments mirror the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, which flagged the country's expensive domestic fees as an outlier in the region. The IMF attributed these higher costs to the Philippines’ fragmented financial infrastructure.

This persistent problem has prompted the finance chief to express his intent to leave a “legacy” of bringing digital payment costs down. “Our objective is simple: digital payments should be fast, secure, convenient, and affordable,” he said.

For Go, the ideal cost could be as low as ₱2, noting that payment operations still incur basic processing fees.

To set the pace, the Department of Finance (DOF) is already putting the government’s own financial machinery to work.

As chairman of the Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank), Go shared that he did not mince words with the state-run lender’s executives when questioning their previous ₱15 transaction fee. “I told them, why are you charging people ₱15? What is the bare cost to the bank?” he recalled.

That directive prompted the state-run lender to slash its person-to-person (P2P) fees from ₱15 to ₱8.

To further catalyze digital adoption, Landbank is currently running a trial offering zero convenience fees for person-to-government (P2G) transactions for agencies like the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Go believes this move will spark a chain reaction across the industry. “You only need one of the major players to lower its fees, and competition will follow. Once that happens, convenience fees will come down. I think this will also put pressure on agencies that continue to charge high convenience fees,” he said.

Clearing hidden technical friction is another hurdle the existing system needs to overcome. According to Go, banks within the domestic financial system must achieve true interoperability, allowing users to transfer funds across institutions without incurring steep penalties. If digital transactions must have any costs at all, those should ideally be limited to minimal switching fees, Go noted.

The Finance chief added that industry feedback on these measures is currently being solicited, with ongoing talks between the DOF, the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), and the Fintech Alliance PH—efforts he said align with the central bank’s overarching direction.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) previously sought to require operators of payment systems (OPS) to price fund transfer charges in line with market rates. Under the central bank’s framework, however, initial plans to completely eliminate fees on small-value fund transfers were ultimately shelved.

Go’s agenda also targets lowering remittance costs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Just as he questioned domestic banking transaction costs, he raised a red flag over average remittance fees that hover around 10 percent.

For the Finance chief, the current status quo is a "pitiful" tax on labor. “It’s crazy! It’s blood, sweat, and tears at 10 percent just for sending money back home,” he lamented, stressing that the mission to slash costs must ensure the earnings of Filipinos working abroad are not eroded by digital tolls.

Lawmakers have also picked up the mantle, pushing for the passage of the OFWs Remittance Protection Act, a measure that aims to reduce remittance fees for OFWs by half to protect offshore workers from excessive charges and financial exploitation.

Invasion im Mittelmeer: Giftiger Fisch bedroht Urlauber und Einheimische

 

Stand:18.06.2026, 17:30 Uhr

Invasive Kugelfische breiten sich in Griechenlands Küstengewässern aus – mit kräftigen Kiefern, starkem Nervengift und einem Biss, der Badegäste ernsthaft verletzen kann.

Eine neue Bedrohung aus der Ferne setzt die mediterrane Fischfauna unter Druck. Und sie kann potenziell auch für Menschen ernsthafte Probleme verursachen. Es handelt sich um den sogenannten Kugelfisch, dessen Vorkommen in den Gewässern von Kreta und Griechenland stark zunimmt, nachdem er bereits Israel und Zypern kolonisiert hat.  

Content-Partnerschaft

Dieser Artikel von Corriere Online entstand in Kooperation mit Corriere della Sera.

Die Sorge ist, dass er sich anschließend auf den Rest des Mittelmeers ausbreiten könnte, beginnend mit Italien – wie es bereits bei der Blaukrabbe und anderen invasiven Arten der Fall ist. Auch der Kugelfisch – der in Wirklichkeit zur Familie der Tetraodontidae gehört – ist eine solche invasive Spezies: Er ist nicht in unseren Meeren heimisch. Er ist aus dem Roten Meer über den Suezkanal eingewandert.   

Enthält gefährliches Nervengift: Der Kugelfisch breitet sich im Mittelmeer aus. © OceanPhotographer23 via imago-im

Es ist ein unerwünschter Gast, der die einheimischen Arten zunehmend verdrängt. Diese leiden stark unter seiner Präsenz: Fischer finden immer häufiger tote Fische in ihren Netzen, die am Körper große Wunden aufweisen.

Gefährlicher Biss und starke Kiefer

Verursacht werden diese Verletzungen durch den Biss der Kugelfische, die besonders kräftige Kiefer und scharfe Zähne besitzen. Sollte er einen Menschen beißen, wie es zuletzt in Griechenland geschehen ist, kann dieser Fisch zwar nicht den Tod, aber schwerwiegende Folgen verursachen.