Miriam nixes Senate rice probe

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Tuesday slammed a proposed Senate inquiry on the country’s rice problem, saying it would not be in aid of legislation and is only likely to end up as another Senate “telenovela.” Instead, Santiago called for a headquarters agreement between the Philippines and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Santiago, chair of the Senate committee on foreign relations, called IRRI ““one of the world’s major engines to increased rice production, and one of the solutions to the global rice shortage.” “IRRI is a pioneer in such new fields of study as bioinformatics, and established the International Genebank, which is now the repository of the world’s largest rice collection,” Santiago said. The senator said the proposed Senate inquiry into the impending global rice crisis would not be in aid of legislation because IRRI has already been doing excellent work in rice technology. “The rice problem is not merely national to the Philippines, or merely regional in Asia, but is a global problem because of population growth and climate change. Hence, senators advocating still another in a series of interminable Senate inquiries leading to dead ends, should call for a global inquiry in aid of United Nations legislation,” she said. She added that running after rice hoarders and monopolies is the job of the police and National Bureau of Investigation, and not of senators. “Supporting IRRI PhilRice is the job of the Senate,” she said. PhilRice stands for Philippine Rice Research Institute, created in 1985 to attain national self-sufficiency in rice. Santiago said that as of 2006, rice was the main crop in 36 percent of the Philippines crop area, and that about half of the world depends on rice as a major source of food in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. “Rice production is one of the plant’s most important economic activities. Rice farms are 9 percent of the world’s arable area. IRRI’s work on sustainable technologies can have a large positive impact on the global environment,” she said. Santiago further said that “instead of another Senate telenovela,” the Senate should concentrate on bills that will help rice farmers, such as linkage to the IRRI Rice Knowledge Bank, the world’s first digital extension service; technical assistance to local governments for rice field infestations and adverse soil problems; and provision of seeds through the International Genebank. The Philippines was one of the signatories to the 1995 Executive Agreement Recognizing the International Legal Personality of the IRRI, which the Philippines ratified in 2005. Under the 1995 Executive Agreement, IRRI enjoys the status of an organization with an international juridical personality. Santiago said the agreement she is sponsoring will allow IRRI to keep its headquarters in the Philippines and its privileges and immunities which ensure its free operation. - GMANews.TV