De Lima pushes for minimum price cap for palay, Bam eyes tax relief for SMEs

Former senator Leila de Lima on Saturday said she will push for minimum price cap for palay while former senator Bam Aquino is eyeing tax relief for small businesses.

De Lima said that the price of palay should be at least 50% maximum retail price of rice to ensure that farmers are earning enough.

“[Mag] pu-push po kami ng suggested minimum value price sa palay na dapat 50% ng maximum suggested retail price of rice. Kasi ang problema, halos wala na silang kinikita, natatalo sila sa cost of production, tapos pagdating sa retail, mataas na—iba na yung nakikinabang. Hindi na yung magsasaka,” de Lima said in a press conference in Naga City during a market run with former Vice President Leni Robredo.

(We are thinking of pegging the minimum price of palay at 50% of the maximum SRP rice because as it is, farmers are hardly earning enough, they shoulder the high cost of production. And when it comes to retail price, they are not the ones benefitting from the high prices.)

In addition, de Lima also called for the review of the recent Rice Tarification Law (RTL) which was envisioned to bring down rice prices, to no avail.

“The RTL was passed to bring down rice prices, but what happened? Tumaas ang bilang ng mga imported rice, nakipag-kompetensya sa mga local farmers. Panahon na para i-review ang Rice Tariffication para makuha ang objective na mapababa ang presyo ng bigas and at the same time, ang mga magsasaka, hindi natatalo,” de Lima added.

(The law increased the volume of imported rice and local farmers are having a hard time catching up. We need to review the law to realize its objective so farmers won't be at the losing end.)

Tax relief

Meanwhile, at a Livelihood Community Consultation with micro-entrepreneurs and other workers in Quezon City, Aquino said he will push for tax relief for small businesses.

“Nais nating ipanukala ang pagbibigay ng tax relief sa maliliit na negosyo. Maliit na nga, bubuwisan mo pa, bagay na hindi dapat,” Aquino said.

(We want to provide tax relief to small businesses. They have small financial capacity, and the tax can already burden them. We should help them get by until they are able to be self-sustaining.)

Aquino also said that he will push for expanded access to loans with low interest for small businesses.

“Kapag mas maganda ang tulong ng mga gobyerno at diretso sa maliliit na negosyo, marami ring magkakatrabaho,” Aquino added.

(If the government subsidy is enough and is distributed directly to small business, it will generate jobs.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News

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