Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao has vowed to support rice farmers if he wins in May by ensuring that they will be able to sell their palay (unhusked rice) produce at a fair and reasonable price.
Pacquiao made the assurance following his campaign sortie in Isabela, which is among the country's biggest suppliers of rice and corn.
"Pagdating ng panahon sisiguraduhin ko na bibilihin ang mga palay ng mga farmers na mataas at sisiguraduhin ko na pag walang bumili sa palay nila ng matas ang gobyerno ang bibilin sa kanila (Time will come when I will make sure that rice produce will be bought at a high price and that the government will buy from out farmers if no one will purchase their produce)," he said.
Pacquiao said the present farm gate price of palay, which is at P10 to P14 per kilo, cannot even help farmers break even from their cost of production.
"Eh dapat nasa P19 to P20 'yan para naman kumita mga farmers natin (It should be at P19 to P20 so our farmers will be able to earn)," he said.
If necessary, Pacquiao also said he would push to repeal the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) to protect farmers from the massive influx of cheap imported rice.
Pacquiao said his government would also invest in technology and modern agricultural equipment to boost food production and turn the country from a major rice importer to an exporter of rice and other high-value crops.
"Pag malakas ang revenue income ng gobyerno, magagawa at magagawa lahat ng mga 'yan. 'Yang pagbaba ng presyo ng abono at pagbibigay ng mga high tech na equipment sa ating mga farmers (If the government's revenue income is strong, we can do all these things. Lowering the prices of fertilizers as well as providing high tech equipment to our farmers will be possible)," he added.