Food Security Chair Rep. Raymond “Adrian” Salceda of Albay’s 3rd District pushed today for the restoration of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) power to buy palay using excess rice tariff revenues, as the House Committee on Agriculture and Food began consolidating bills amending the Rice Tariffication Law.
“The simple policy question for Congress is this: Kontento na po ba tayo na wala na tayong food security pagdating sa bigas?” Salceda said in sponsoring House Bill No. 48.
He explained that while rice tariffication was meant to lower rice prices, it stripped the NFA of its ability to protect farmers. “Ang resulta, bagsak na bagsak ang presyo ng palay, pero kontrolado pa rin ng kartel ang retail price ng bigas,” he warned.
Salceda’s bill would allow NFA to:
• Use rice tariff collections beyond the ₱10B Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund for palay procurement;
• Provide at least ₱10/kg top-up on its buying price;
• Upgrade storage, drying, and logistics facilities; and
• Establish a Rice Market Intervention Fund to stabilize farmgate and retail prices.
Drawing from his experience as a former mayor of a rice self-sufficient town, Salceda added: “Mataas po ang dangal ng ating mga magsasaka, at nais nilang lumaban ng parehas, nang hindi umaasa sa ayuda ng pamahalaan.”
He closed with an appeal to his colleagues: “Huwag po nating hayaang humantong sa puntong wala nang lokal na magsasaka.”
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