Bohol Governor Erich Aristotle C. Aumentado traveled to Taiwan on August 21 for a
personal trip, amid escalating high prices of rice and basic commodities in the
Philippines. He is expected to return to the Philippines on August 24.
According to a letter from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), Aumentado
informed the office of his travel plans and received no objection.
However, he was reminded of the following guidelines while he is in Taiwan:
- He should avoid referring to Taiwan as the “Republic of China” or as a country, or to
its officials by their titles in the public statements, and to MECO and Taipei Economic
and Cultural Office as embassies or consulates. - He should use an ordinary passport in travelling to Taiwan.
- He should not sign any agreements, memoranda of understanding, exchange of
notes, or other similar documents. - He should refrain from publicizing the activity or posting any details of the trip on social
media. - He should submit a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and copy furnish
MECO upon completion of the travel.
The letter was signed by Silvestre H. Bello III, the chairman and resident representative
of MECO.
Aumentado’s travel comes at a time when Filipinos are bearing the brunt of rice
shortage and economic hardships.
The Philippines and Taiwan have maintained unofficial relations since 1975 through
MECO and TECO.
The Philippines adheres to the One-China policy, which recognizes Beijing as the sole
legitimate government of China.
The governor’s travel has been met with mixed reactions from the public.
Some people have criticized him for traveling at a time when the prices of rice and other
basic commodities are rising, while others have defended his right to travel for personal
reasons.
Aumentado has said that his trip to Taiwan is not related to the high prices of rice and
other basic commodities in the Philippines.
Since elected in 2022, Bohol Governor Aumentado has visited several countries
including Malaysia, South Korea, China, and Israel
In South Korea, Aumentado and several provincial capitol officials flew to South Korea
as part of the province’s efforts to boost tourism.
In Israel, Aumentado went to Israel to explore opportunities for employment, direct
flights, and agricultural technology transfer.
There might be other countries that Aumentado has visited, but it was not announced in
public.
While in Taiwan, Aumentado has said that he will follow the guidelines set by the DFA
and MECO while he is in Taiwan.
Inflation Amid Rice Shortage
The rising prices of rice and other basic commodities are causing widespread hardship
for Filipinos, who are already struggling to make ends meet after the COVID-19
pandemic.
The price of rice, a staple food for Filipinos, has also been rising sharply.
The average price of a kilo of rice has increased by over 20% in the past year.
This is due to a number of factors, including the impact of the pandemic on the
agricultural sector, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and the depreciation of the
Philippine peso, economists said.
The rising prices of rice and other basic commodities are putting a strain on the budgets
of many Filipino families, economic expert said.
Some families are forced to skip meals or eat less nutritious food. Others are taking on
debt to make ends meet, according to a report by Asia Development Bank (ADB).
The government has taken some steps to address the rising prices of rice, such as
releasing rice from its buffer stocks and providing subsidies to farmers.
However, these measures have not been enough to prevent the prices of rice from
rising.
The rising prices of rice and other basic commodities are a major concern for the
Philippine government. The government is working to address the issue, but it is a
complex problem that will take time to solve.
In the meantime, Filipinos are facing increasing hardship as they struggle to afford the
basic necessities of life.