Sen. Raffy Tulfo quizzes Department of Agriculture (DA) officials on their allegedly questionable purchase of fertilizers under its National Rice Program.

As the Finance Subcommittee B tackled the proposed 2024 budget of the DA on Thursday, October 5, 2023, Tulfo called for a probe on the agency’s reported award of at least P230 million in contracts to an agricultural product wholesaler which allegedly failed to meet their obligations.

Tulfo also questioned the firm’s capability after noting that it was only able to deliver 1,300 bags of fertilizers out of the 40,000 purchased by the government before asking for an extension.

“This firm should have been blacklisted,” Tulfo said in Filipino, adding that officials involved should be held accountable over the supposed irregularity. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB

Dr. Milagros Ong-How and her husband put up Universal Harvester Inc. in 2003.