P20 per kilo of rice does not address production crisis—PAMALAKAYA

Fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) P20 per kilo rice program, which has expanded to cover fisherfolk, does not significantly address the crisis in rice production, GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita reported Wednesday.

In a statement on Tuesday, PAMALAKAYA said the rice program was “tokenistic.”

“Gaya rin ng posisyon ng mga magsasaka, hindi sapat at maliit na pakunswelo lamang ang alok na P20/kilong bigas para sa mga mangingisda,” PAMALAKAYA national chairperson Fernando Hicap said.

(Similar to the position of the farmers, the offer of P20/kilo of rice for fishermen is insufficient and only a small consolation.)

“Hindi nito konkretong tinutugunan ang ugat ng krisis sa produksyon na sanhi rin ng mataas na presyo ng bigas sa pamilihan,” he added.

(This does not concretely address the root cause of the production crisis which is also the cause of the high price of rice in the market.)

To lower the price of rice in the market, Hicap said the government should strengthen the National Food Authority (NFA), abolish private traders and cartels, and provide other significant support to farmers’ production.

PAMALAKAYA joined the call of farmers' groups for the repeal of the Rice Liberalization Law, which has “led to depressed farm gate prices, unregulated rice importation, and further impoverishment of our rice farmers”.

GMA Integrated News is trying to get the side of the DA and Malacañang about PAMALAKAYA’s statement.

On Monday, the DA said fisherfolk will be included in the list of beneficiaries who can avail of the P20 per kilo of rice.

Fisherfolk would be part of the growing list of beneficiaries of the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!'' starting August 29.

The government's rice program was originally limited to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and indigents. 

It was then expanded to include minimum wage earners, beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Walang Gutom program, as well as farmers and farm workers listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News