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Duterte seeks answers on gov't-issued faulty farm equipment

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Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/tvpatrol/10/30/20181104-duterte.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte chats with Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol at an event in Mawab, Compostela Valley Province on January 22, 2018. <em>Richard Madelo, Malacanang Photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte said he would ask former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to explain the reported defective farm equipment handed out to local farmers.</p><p>Rice farmers from Eastern Visayas complained of faulty equipment from the Department of Agriculture, which they say could not be used.</p><p>Several offices of the National Food Authority meanwhile complained that they received mechanical rice dryers from the agriculture department which are not needed. </p><p>&quot;I think we have to call Piñol to explain why they went into a buying spree for machinery that could not be used. Were there a sufficient knowledge beforehand na itong mga machine na ito would really fit what is required in the field?&quot; Duterte told ABS-CBN News&#x27; Ted Failon in an exclusive interview.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aP-Ul6TKIO0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Piñol served as Duterte&#x27;s agriculture chief for 3 years before assuming the leadership of the Mindanao Development Authority earlier this year.</p><p>It can be recalled that critics called for Piñol&#x27;s resignation last year after spikes in the prices of rice, vegetables, meat, fish and other food items pushed inflation to its fastest in almost a decade. </p><p>&quot;I would like to call back [Piñol], he&#x27;s still in Mindanao, he&#x27;s doing his work there. He would explain to us why now it is developing into a kind of problem,&quot; Duterte said.</p><p>Duterte added that he has learned that the government was importing &quot;so much&quot; of the farm equipment but remained unaware of the status of the machines.</p><p>&quot;The machinery seemed to be not in harmony with its users,&quot; Duterte said.</p><p>&quot;It was only after sinubukan na ng mga tao, they began to discover the inadequacy or the failure of the machineries,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>President Rodrigo Duterte said he would ask former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to explain the reported defective farm equipment handed out to local farmers.</p>

President Rodrigo Duterte said he would ask former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol to explain the reported defective farm equipment handed out to local farmers.

Duterte seeks answers on gov't-issued faulty farm equipment

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Duterte seeks answers on gov't-issued faulty farm equipment

Arianne Merez,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 18, 2019 10:45 AM PHT

|

Updated November 18, 2019 11:11 AM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

Manny Piñol

rice

Department of Agriculture

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