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Economist-solon Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda says the Philippines should start looking at sources of rice outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

In a statement, Salceda specifically mentioned countries like Pakistan and the United States (US) as possible alternative sources of rice. 

“We also did something similar during an earlier rice price crisis, in 2008, when the NFA (National Food Authority) imported rice from California and distributed it to its outlets," said the House Ways and Means Committee chairman. 

“We’ve seen this crisis before. We know how to deal with it. It mostly involves signalling to our world partners that we will not over-import, so that they don’t anticipate and drive prices up," he said. 

The Philippines traditionally imports its rice supply needs from its ASEAN neighbors Vietnam and Thailand. Rice is the Filipinos' staple food. 

Last July, India announced a ban on rice exports. This sent ripples around the world and caused fears of a rice shortage in countries like the Philippines. 

Salceda recalled that during the 2008 rice price crisis, India undertook a similar export ban which also disturbed the world rice markets and sent the price of rice in the Philippines upward. 

“This will dissipate because the source of the world price increase is artificial. The world price situation is also starting to normalize,” he said.