It's Not Just "Galunggong", It's Also Milkfish Price Rocketeering

 Swim further, sink dipper, consumers. If you aren't complaining, you're not from this country.

There is a big catch in the market.  And these are not the fish products that come in "banyeras" (here meant as large tubs where the fish on sale are placed or stored).  It is the fact of the rising costs of common food staples that women often buy for their families regularly.

As the President recently announced on social media about looking into the prices of the popular "galunggong", a pillar of Pinoy political advocacy for consumer rights to affordable food, it seems that other market items have been wallowing under the sun as well with their steep prices.

A kilo of "bangus" (milkfish), a common ingredient for the all-time favorite "sinigang", now tips the price scale at Php 150.00, to less than Php 200.00 plus in local markets down south of NCR. 

In groceries, prices are further higher, and the same kilo depending on size, would cost about P50.00 more making it less than Php 300.00.  A piece could last for about 2-5 days depending on the number of persons to dine in the family.

Other kinds of seafood, despite their lowered costs compared to the first two market items mentioned, are also not getting enough rave from consumers.  Like the "pusit" (squid) and the "tilapia", with prices that are equal if not as expensive, but still unable to attract buys from customers.

The markets are more active now unlike in previous months when consumer buying needed a boost and approbation.  

With the expensive costs of fish products in the market, what more can Filipinos buy as prices of meat and chicken are also not as affordable? 

The increase in the prices of fish is noticeably above 25 percent than it was 5 years ago before the onset of the pandemic.

Vegetable produce seems to be the only thing that is within the grasp of the ordinary market goer as the budget shrinks not just for housewives but also for working dads.

News Review Philippines

February 12, 2024

DEEP FAKING SUPECTING

 

THE SITE MIRRORS THE ORIGINAL, THE "FAKE BRANDED" AD  MUST BE FLAGGED.

A prominent ad placed along the upper ranks of news media articles for the day came with a stern warning about a news media personality, with content that postures a previous interview that can put the said individual in a negative light.

The "poser content" which significantly features an on-camera conversation with a media luminary tends to portray the personality as enterprising, and as an individual raring to earn by way of a side hustle.  

The questionable interview has a second variation. It still features the media man but with a different content, and with the same branding elements of a popular website that were obviously replicated and faked.

The ads also contain a lot of errors of facts from the name of the news media site which the media personality is identified with; down to the mismatched lines and voices on the audio that were unmistakenly dubbed. These "fake branded" ads are, "sus" (here creatively used as "suspectingly").

A second look at the origin of the ad site, one would be informed that the ad fronts an address typical of dubious internet sites that do not signify credibility in a name.   With contents that can further spread confusion among consumers of news and information.  

Also, the content being old-dated, could have been reposted, from the first time of its publication on searches, making it a recurring problem that must be continually verified.    

The dubious interview could be categorized as a "deep fake", a recent internet concern among information providers; as deep fakes could go from video, audio, and graphics, that are edited and meant to spread disinformation. 

Sites, articles, and content that have questions on authenticity must be avoided and flagged, to discourage posers and deep fake instigators from creating similar works that can hurt media credibility, and add confusion to the already breeding ground for fake news, the internet that is.

News Review Philippines 2024.