Reelected Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, who served as Speaker of the 19th Congress, opened the 20th Congress by filing House Bill No. 1—a landmark measure aimed at reforming the National Food Authority (NFA) to help bring down rice prices, stabilize supply, and strengthen support for Filipino farmers.
The bill, officially titled the “Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act,” is the first legislative proposal of the new Congress. It seeks to amend the Rice Tariffication Law and restore the NFA’s regulatory powers to prevent hoarding, profiteering, and price manipulation.
Romualdez stressed that rice is the foundation of every Filipino family’s meals and emphasized the urgency of ensuring affordable prices and fair compensation for farmers.
“This measure is in line with President Marcos’ Bagong Pilipinas campaign and his commitment to lowering rice prices without harming our farmers,” Romualdez said.
The bill is co-authored by Tingog Party-list Reps. Andrew Julian Romualdez and Jude Acidre.
Under the RICE Act, the NFA would regain authority to register and inspect grain warehouses, monitor the rice trade, seize hoarded stocks, and release them to stabilize supply and prices.
It would also maintain buffer stocks sourced from local palay and enforce a floor price to protect farmers’ incomes.
Romualdez clarified that the proposal preserves the liberalized import regime while introducing safeguards and accountability measures. Penalties of up to ₱2 million and two years’ imprisonment await violators, and government officials who aid hoarding schemes face lifetime disqualification from office.
“The food crisis cannot continue to be used as an opportunity for a few to make money. The consumer must have an ally in the government, and the farmer must have an ally as well. Through this bill, we restore that balance,” he said.
The bill also empowers the Department of Agriculture to lead implementation in coordination with local governments and law enforcement. “This is a fight for the livelihood and well-being of every Filipino. We will not allow hunger to prevail in our country,” he said.
Senator Erwin Tulfo also marked the opening of the 20th Congress by filing his first 10 priority bills and resolutions, fulfilling his campaign promises to champion the welfare of Filipinos.
Leading his agenda is a resolution to review the Rice Tariffication Law and restore the NFA’s regulatory powers, aligning with the administration’s push to reform the agriculture sector and lower rice prices. “As promised, we hit the ground running on the first day in office,” Tulfo said.
Among Tulfo’s proposed measures is the National Land Use Act, which aims to create a sustainable framework for land use and planning to protect resources and support economic growth. Drawing on his experience as a former Social Welfare Secretary, he filed a bill to streamline documentary requirements for accessing government aid, requiring agencies to process assistance requests within three working days.
To improve education, Tulfo proposed requiring state universities and colleges to offer medical and allied health programs and establishing professional review centers to help students prepare for licensure exams.
He also filed a bill classifying barangay officials as regular government employees entitled to fixed salaries and benefits. Additional proposals include granting medical parole to terminally ill elderly inmates, banning public officials from holding interests in public utilities, imposing penalties for road rage incidents involving officials, and calling for a Senate inquiry into delayed subsidies for solo parents.
Meanwhile, Senator Bam Aquino filed 10 education-related bills to address what he called an urgent education crisis. “We hope these bills help respond to the pressing needs of our education system so every Filipino student can enjoy quality education,” Aquino said.
His proposed School-to-Employment Program (STEP) Act would establish Job Placement Offices in all public senior high schools and higher education institutions and create councils to address job-skills mismatch.
Another bill seeks to amend the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act to guarantee that 4Ps beneficiaries admitted to recognized schools receive full financial support until they graduate. Aquino also proposed the Adopt-A-School Act of 2025 and the Classroom-Building Acceleration Program to address the shortage of over 165,000 classrooms.
Additional measures include a ₱10,000 monthly salary increase for public school teachers, free digital textbooks, student discounts on mobile services, and expanded support for private education and teacher training.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Romualdez opens 20th Congress with bill to overhaul NFA, fight rice inflation.”
