Philippine lawmaker seeks prioritisation of rice tariff law amendments
MANILA: Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos has urged colleagues in the House of Representatives to prioritise deliberations on proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), to ensure sustained availability of affordable rice in public markets.
In a statement on Monday (July 21), Santos said the benefits promised under the RTL—such as lower rice prices and improved support for local farmers—have not materialised, highlighting the need for revisions to the law.
Santos noted that rice prices have remained volatile, while the influx of cheap imported rice has displaced locally produced varieties.
'We have not felt the promised benefits of the Rice Tariffication Law. Rice prices failed to decrease significantly, and our farmers' lives became harder,' he said.
According to Santos, amending the law would enable the government to prioritise local production, restore the National Food Authority's (NFA) authority to purchase unhusked rice from local farmers, and maintain a buffer stock that could be utilised beyond emergencies.
During the 19th Congress, the House approved on third reading a proposal to amend the RTL, which seeks to restore some of the NFA's functions.
House Bill No. 10381 was approved in May 2024, with 231 lawmakers voting in favour, three against, and one abstaining.
House leaders, including 19th Congress Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, believe the amendments could lower rice prices by P10 (US$0.18) to 15 per kilogram.
However, the bill faced opposition in the Senate due to concerns that restoring some of the NFA's mandates might lead to renewed corruption.
Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, former chair of the House committee on agriculture and food, assured that this would not happen since the NFA would play a limited role in importation.
Enverga also said they intended to brief senators on the proposal, noting he understands the concerns raised by Villar and other senators.
Villar, along with several senators in the 19th Congress, warned against amending RA 11203, noting that the law barred the NFA from importing and selling rice precisely due to rampant corruption within the agency.
For the 20th Congress, Romualdez has proposed to 'strengthen the regulatory powers' of the NFA through House Bill (HB) No. 1, also known as the proposed Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act.
According to a copy of the bill, the NFA's regulatory authority would be reinforced by amending Republic Act No. 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act, which was later amended by the RTL.
Romualdez said House Bill No. 1 and House Bill No. 14, the proposed Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation Act, will support the administration's food security programme and aid the Benteng Bigas Meron Na initiative, which is anchored on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s campaign promise to bring down rice prices to 20 per kilogram. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
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