The declaration of a food security emergency will likely happen as early as Wednesday, January 22, an official of the Department of Agriculture said.
“We expect to receive the copy of the National Price Coordinating Council resolution approving the recommendation to declare a food security emergency by Monday,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel will review the recommendation “Monday through Tuesday,” before taking action on Wednesday, De Mesa added.
The NPCC earlier approved a resolution urging the DA to declare the emergency, citing the need to address the surge in retail rice prices despite declining global costs and recent tariff reductions.
Tiu Laurel said the declaration would enable the National Food Authority to release rice stocks to local government units and other agencies at lower prices, thereby freeing up warehouse space and supporting local farmers through increased palay procurement ahead of the upcoming harvest season.
Earlier, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. backed the emergency declaration to reduce rice prices and combat market manipulation and profiteering.
“The reason that we are doing this is because we have done everything to bring down rice prices but the market is not being allowed to work properly,” the President said.
Meanwhile, agricultural groups were split on the emergency declaration proposal.
Federation of Free Farmers national manager Raul Montemayor told ABS-CBN News the declaration will not solve profiteering, which he said is the root cause of high rice prices.
“Prices remain high because of importers, wholesalers and retailers who are taking advantage of the market. (The declaration) is like saying, okay, we will let the profiteers be. Let’s just do something else to bring down prices. Let’s sell NFA rice,” Montemayor said.
The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura or SINAG, on the other hand, backed the emergency declaration but said the President’s previous order to bring down tariff on imported rice should be recalled.
“We urge the NPCC to recommend to NEDA the repeal of EO 62 and revert rice and pork tariffs to 35 percent,” SINAG executive director Jayson Cainglet said, noting that this would provide additional revenues that the government can use to support local rice farmers.