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Some Senate bets criticize, others support Rice Tariffication Law


Several senate aspirants have given their take on the newly approved Rice Tariffication Law, with some criticizing it while others welcoming it even as they urged the government to ensure the measure would properly address rice farmers' concerns.

Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano of the Otso Diretso slate warned that the new law might lead to the dependency of the country on foreign rice supply which he said could kill the local rice farming industry.

“Ang ating magsasaka  ay hindi pa handa sa ngayon na mag-compete laban sa magsasaka ng ibang bansa, e papatayin natin ang rice farming industry,” Alejano said during a press conference in Quezon City.

The law allows private sector traders to import rice without limits as long as they pay the 35-percent tariff and secure a permit from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

A portion of the collected funds from the tariffs will be allocated to farming development projects for local farmers.

Alejano questioned the efficiency of the distribution of the funds to the local farmers, anticipating that it would not be efficient like the financial assistance promised for vulnerable sectors amid Tax Reform For Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

According to another Otso Diretso senatorial bet, Chel Diokno, the Rice Tariffication Law killed the functions of the National Food Authority (NFA).

He also expressed concern over 400 employees who will lose their jobs due to the said law.

“Kung titignan natin yung nilalaman ng batas na yan, halos kinatay na niya yung  functions ng NFA at hindi niya lang kinatay, hindi klaro kung sino na ngayon ang mag-reregulate,” Diokno said.

Rice import limited, timed

For her part, senatorial candidate and Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos issued an urgent appeal for the government to address local farmers' concerns against unbridled rice importation amid the passage of the rice tariffication law.

"After all, the shortfall in local produce is at a mere 1.5 million metric tons against 12 million consumed annually," said Marcos, who is being endorsed by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago founded by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

"Imported rice should be limited and timed not to enter the local market during our harvest season because this will push local prices to unbearable levels for our farmers," she added.

Marcos expressed fears that if farmers remain unaided, poverty incidence will increase in the provincial areas where farm gate prices continue to drop.

Like Marcos, Angara also urged the government to ensure that support and benefits for farmers under the newly enacted rice tariffication law reach farm workers.

“The government must ensure that support measures under the law will be fully realized for the benefit of our local rice farmers,” Angara said while campaigning in New Ecija, which is dubbed as the “rice granary of the Philippines” because of its endless farms dedicated to producing the staple food.

According to Angara, the law has built-in safeguards to protect local farmers from the impact of a free flow of imports.

“Habang pinaluluwag natin ang patakaran sa pag-angkat ng bigas para gawing abot-kaya ang halaga nito, kailangan din nating bigyan ng ayuda ang mga magsasaka para sila ay maging produktibo at kayang makipagsabayan sa rice importers,” Angara said.

Over the weekend, re-electionist Senator Cynthia Villar, who sits as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, lauded the passage of the measure, especially since it would provide a P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

"With the expiration of the quantitative restriction on rice importation, this is a very important piece of legislation, which will help our farmers improve their profitability and competitiveness," said Villar, who is the sponsor and principal author of the measure.

"This law complements other government programs addressing the needs of the farming sector, including the P7 billion Rice Program under the Department of Agriculture and the P7 billion budget of the National Food Authority which will be used to buy palay from local farmers for purposes of buffer stocking," said the senator, who is also being endorsed by Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

Short term solution

Under the law, the committees on Agriculture and Food, Appropriations and Finance of both the Senate and the House Representatives are tasked to do periodic review on the usage of the fund.

The law earmarks P10 billion for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, of which P5 billion will be allotted for farm mechanization and P3 billion for seedlings.

The fund intends to ensure that rice imports will not drown out the agriculture sector and rob farmers of their livelihood.

Meanwhile, senatorial aspirant Romulo Macalintal, also of Otso Diretso, said that the Rice Tariffication Law should serve only as a short term solution, encouraging the government to come up with long term solutions.

“Hindi pwedeng pangmatagalan yan, kasi talagang maaapektuhan ang ating farmers. Tsaka napakalaking kahihiyan natin sa buong mundo na tayo being considered as agricultural  country,” he said.

Macalintal suggested granting the local farmers with loans and giving them farming equipment in order to improve the agricultural industry. — with Llanesca T. Panti/MDM, GMA News

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