Frustrated vegetable vendor tells customers who want onions for P250 a kilo to ‘buy them from the TV’
A vegetable vendor ranting about the impossibility of complying with the Department of Trade and Industry’s suggested retail price (SRP) of P250 for a kilogram of onions became a viral sensation after a video clip of her tirade was viewed more than 1.4 million times and earned nearly 20,000 likes.
The clip, which was taken form Net25’s daily morning show “Ano Sa Palagay N’yo?,” shows the vendor expressing frustration at having to explain to customers that it was impossible for retailers like her to sell the onions at P250 per kilo when they buy them at P600 a kilo from wholesalers or middle men.
“Pa’no naman kaming mga negosyante na namuhunan ng 600, alangan namang magpalugi kami, i-250, ano sila, hilo?!….Alangan namang magpalugi kami ng tatlong daan isang kilo,” she sounded off, adding that if the government wants to sell onions for an SRP of P250 a kilo, then they’re welcome to do the selling themselves. “Ay sila na magtinda!,” she mocks, as the reporter interviewing her lets out a hearty laugh. “Totoo yan, kahit na makarating…,” the vendor said she didn’t mind if her pleas reached the concerned the agency’s ears.
As for customers who ask how come she’s not selling her onions at SRP as they’ve seen on the TV, the vendor has this to say: “Eh di sa TV sila bumili. Pwede naman yun eh!”
Onion prices have skyrocketed to as much as P700 per kilo in markets across Metro Manila. That’s more than three times the price of chicken and nearly 40% more expensive than beef.
Netizens overwhelmingly came to the vendor’s side, sympathizing with her frustration at having to make a decent living in the face of government inefficiency and inability to acknowledge ground realities.
