HOUSE Murang Pagkain Supercommittee Co-Chair Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd District), who leads the QuintaComm hearings, issued a strong call for the Department of Agriculture (DA) to take immediate and decisive action to address the escalating crisis of soaring rice prices.
“The DA’s persistent claim of powerlessness in curbing abuses in the rice market is no longer acceptable. This stance only emboldens price manipulators to exploit Filipino families without consequence.”
Salceda criticized the DA for creating a climate of impunity in the rice market by publicly stating its inability to intervene.
“Rice prices are caught in a downward spiral, and by declaring their inability to act, the DA has inadvertently given free rein to bad actors.”
Legal Tools for Intervention
Salceda pointed to existing legislation that equips the DA with the authority to address market abuses. He highlighted Republic Act No. 509, which allows the department to exercise extensive powers if the President declares a “rice emergency.”
“A precedent exists—President Quirino invoked such powers in 1948 to combat widespread hoarding. I urge the DA to thoroughly examine the legal tools at its disposal and deploy them to end this unchecked exploitation in the rice market.”
Enforcing Market Oversight
Salceda emphasized the need for the state to assert its regulatory power, suggesting robust measures such as:
Conducting post-clearance inspections of import warehouses.
Random market checks to ensure compliance with price regulations.
“The government must demonstrate that oversight is active and effective. It’s time to end the perception that there is no sheriff in town.”
Salceda’s statement served as a rallying call for the DA to take ownership of the rice market crisis and fulfill its mandate to safeguard the interests of Filipino families by ensuring stable and affordable rice prices.
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