Food pass magnifies abuses of permits
The temporary ban of the multi-million chicken dung trade in Tublay, Benguet is in compliance to the community quarantine restrictions against the pandemic.
However, the food pass issued for the transport of essential goods is being used to transport unsanitary poultry wastes or fowls manure from the lowlands to Barangay Shilan, La Trinidad.
The food pass has also been abused by others who claim exemptions from community quarantine restriction, violating public health safety protocols.
To safeguard public health from deceptive use of the permit, concerned authorities should specify its uses.
For instance, the food pass is an urgent permit to deliver food supplies and human consumption packages for those undergoing quarantine.
The permit to transport agricultural inputs should refer to transport of chicken dung and permit for agricultural output shall be for the transport and delivery of vegetables and other farm products to the market outlets or trading centers.
I regret to inform that a supposed millionaire chicken dung businessman has capitalized on his food pass to evade suspension of the trade. This businessman also uses his food pass to be exempted from the quarantine restrictions and public health safety protocols as could be seen from the porters at his chicken dung trading post in Shilan.
We hope concerned officials and offices will act on this matter. — AGAPITO DELMAS, La Trinidad, Benguet