A party-list group on Wednesday called for a review of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law to assess its impact and appealed to the Duterte administration to ensure adequate domestic rice production.
Former Party-list Rep. Cecil Chavez made the appeal as she denounced the amelioration program for small rice farmers under the P10 billion rice competitive enhancement fund—which she described as a “band-aid” solution to help improve rice production and generate adequate income for the country’s three million small rice farmers.
“The details of the amelioration program, that includes a mechanism, seed distribution and questionable credit program are not simply rooted on sound farmer economic and economy,” Chavez said.
Chavez, who voted against the Rice Tariff Law in the past Congress, said the rice tariff law and the amelioration program detailed under the RCEF “both need a hard rethinking and review.”
“The Duterte administration needs to suspend the Rice Tariff Law in the meantime that a review of the horrific impact of the law on small rice farmers and the country’s food security concerns is being undertaken,” Chavez said.
Instead, she said crafting a comprehensive and science-backed Rice Industry Roadmap should be the first order of business of the Duterte administration.
“In the order of priority, the Duterte government should take the necessary steps if it were really sincere in helping the small rice farmers battered by the rice tariffication law and ensuring adequate rice production and supply by local farmers,” she said.
These include the drafting of a Rice Industry Roadmap following massive consultations with farmers organizations, agricultural scientists, agricultural economists and top-notch agronomists; legislating a “new rice-centric law” that both helps the small rice farmers and ensure adequate domestic rice production; and suspension of massive rice importation.
“The Rice Tariff Law and the accompanying RCEF are so full of holes and flaws that are inherent in a rush legislative undertaking that did not even bother to consult with the small rice farmers,” Chavez said.
Meanwhile, the ‘Bantay Bigas’ (rice watch) Group and the Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and Anakpawis Party-list said on Wednesday that Filipino rice farmers lost at least P74.8 billion due to depressed farm gates which the groups blamed on the implementation of the Republic Act 11203 or Rice Liberalization Law.
“It has been a trend, since the country joined the World Trade Organization in 1995 when there was even the slightest buzz of arrival of imported rice, farm gate prices at the barrios are forced down by traders, throwing farmers into bankruptcy and indebtedness. It is worse now, because it was institutionalized by RA 11203. This is the anti-peasant legacy of the Duterte regime,” Rafael Mariano, former Anakpawis Party-list lawmaker said in a press statement.
Anakpawis staunchly opposed the law when it was still being deliberated at the lower house and as alternative primarily pushed for the Rice Industry Development Act (RIDA) bill during the 17th congress.
The bill, now House Bill 477 being pushed by Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, proposes the authentic development program for the national rice industry, involving the three-year allocation of P495 billion, which includes P185 billion for its core programs and P310 billion for the procurement program of the NFA.
Bantay Bigas also blamed the law for the rice farmers’ losses, as exposed by government data. These are: (1) 2018 value of production of palay at P385 billion for the volume of production of a little more than 19 million metric tons, or P20.19 per kilogram average value or farm gate price; (2) the 2019 value of production of palay at P305 billion for the volume of production of a little more than 18.8 million metric tons, or P16.22 per kilogram or decline of about P4; and (3) 2019 volume of production of palay if previous value per kg was maintained, value would have been P380 billion, thus, potential losses due to depressed farm gate prices would be at P74.8 billion.
“We have been warning against this even before the enactment of the law, but Duterte chose to favor the rich oligarchs who dominate rice importation and trade. He is ruling against the interest of poor Filipino rice farmers. Thus, we call on all stakeholders to join the call of repealing the law,” Cathy Estavillo, spokesperson of Bantay Bigas and Secretary-General of Amihan, said.
Bantay Bigas led the 50,000-signature petition to repeal RA 11203 and it is aiming another batch of 100,000 signatures by March. Estavillo said that the public warmly welcomed the petition drive as opposition to the law and liberalization policies for the rice sector.
The groups said that undermining the rice food security, self-sufficiency, and self-reliance, and abandoning the “food on the table” agenda would be an indisputable legacy of the Duterte regime, and the Filipino peasants have engraved this on their consciousness and would never be erased.
“We urge the Filipino people to rise up against rice liberalization, junk the law and uphold the national rice industry, as legacy of the people’s struggle to the next generation Filipinos,” the groups said.
Bantay Bigas and Amihan urged the people to join the” Rise for Rice! Junk Rice Liberalization!” protest this coming February 14 at Mendiola bridge, Manila, marking the laws’ first year implementation.
