Vice President Leni Robredo said she is open to a review of the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law to ensure that Filipino rice farmers are really benefiting from the measure, and not only the “big markets.”
Robredo recently issued a letter addressed to rice farmers, which outlined her priorities for agriculture should she be elected as president next year.
“Bukas tayo na muling pag-aralan ang Rice Tariffication Law, para ang makinabang dito, hindi lang ang malalaking merkado pero pati na ang magsasakang nag-aani nito,” she said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror.
“Prayoridad ang pagtiyak na maganda ang kita ng ating magsasaka kaya tututukan natin ang pagpapalakas ng lokal na produksyon ng bigas para sa kailangan natin at mag-i-import lang kapag kukulangin,” she added.
The RTL law or Republic Act 11203 was enacted in March of 2019, which legally deregulated and liberalized the country’s rice industry, effectively allowing freer entry of rice imports. Some rice industry groups have lamented that the law has been a bane to the sector instead of a boon, citing the plunge in palay prices and drop in farmers’ income.
Robredo emphasized that one of her priorities is increasing budgetary investment in agriculture and boosting interventions to food producers. Robredo noted that the major challenges being faced by Filipino rice farmers include the adverse impact of the RTL law, limited access to capital and farm inputs as well as the absence of direct market linkages and lack in government support.
“Kaya malinaw sa atin ang mga susunod na hakbang: Kailangang mag-invest sa agrikultura, at magbuhos ng suporta sa mga kailangan ninyo para tunay na guminhawa ang buhay sa paghahanap buhay,” she said.
“Sa larangang ito, kaisa ninyo ako sa pagsisigurong magagawa natin ito sa susunod na administrasyon,” she added.
Robredo explained that her office has implemented various programs aimed at providing Filipino farmers with guaranteed markets since the start of the pandemic. These programs included connecting farmers to buyers situated in hospitals, malls, restaurants as well as online marketplaces.
“Napakalaking tulong nito para tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang kita nila sa kabila ng mga community lockdown. Lahat ng ito, nagawa at ginagawa natin kahit limitado ang mandato at resources, kahit patuloy ang panggigiit ng mga nasa poder,” she said.
“Isipin ninyo kung ano pa ang kaya nating gawin kung maitututok ang buong enerhiya ng gobyerno sa tangi nitong dapat iniintindi: Ang kapakanan ng taumbayan,” she added.
Robredo earlier revealed that stopping a food crisis would be one of the priorities of her administration should she win the elections next year. This is also one of the reasons why she chose Senator Francis Pangilinan as her running mate for the 2022 elections. Pangilinan is a known agriculture advocate.
Robredo, together with Pangilinan, met with leaders of various agriculture industry groups, which include those representing the poultry industry, coconut industry, rice farmers, corn growers, among others, last week.
Image courtesy of Nonoy Lacza