House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Tuesday afternoon, April 30 the solons' goal of amending Republic Act (RA) No.11203 or the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL), which he said would ultimately result to cheaper rice priced at around P30 per kilo.
Romualdez eyes 'close to P30 per kilo rice' by June; pushes for return of 'NFA rice'
Apr 30, 2024 09:19 AM
At a glance
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)
Rice retailing at around P30 per kilo by June.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced this target on Tuesday afternoon, April 30 as he highlighted solons' effort to amend Republic Act (RA) No.11203 or the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL).
The key amendment being sought would once again allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to bring lower-priced to the market, or the "NFA rice" of years past.
"Yung tina-target natin na by June (Our target by June is) we should bring the price of rice down by at least P10 or even P15 [or] close to P30 [per] kilo," Romualdez told reporters in a chance interview.
"We will do this by having the NFA bring to the market affordable rice para sa lahat ng mamamayan na pwede silang bumili ng abot kaya na presyo ng mga P30 (so that all of our countrymen can buy affordable rice of around P30)," he items.
Enacted in 2019, the RTL prevented NFA from directly selling rice to the market. Rice is the country's staple food.
Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus strong House, left plenary session early Tuesday in order to go to Malacañang and request from President Marcos the certification as urgent of the measures seeking to amend the RTL.
He expressed confidence that Marcos would grant the request. "Malamang po, malamang po (It's very likely)."
Kasi this is a priority of the President, kasama po kami dyan sa urgency niyan kasi alam mo naman yung ating mahal na Presidente ayaw na ayaw na mahihirapan ang ating mamamayang Pilipino, the consumers, and all of course the rice buyers. Dapat magkakaroon ng tamang presyo ng bigas na abot kaya ng lahat," he said.
(Because this is a priority of the President, we share in that urgency because as you know, our beloved President doesn't want Filipinos to suffer, the consumers, and all of course the rice buyers. Rice should be priced properly and affordably.)
"Sa totoo lang aalis na ako ngayon pupunta ako sa Malacañang. Etong, kaya sinasabi ko sa yo (Actually I'm on my way to Malacañang now. That's why I told you), I will consult with him. But I’m sure he feels this is a very urgent matter," he said of the Chief Executive.
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Well-milled rice is usually priced P55 per kilo and up.
Romualdez said that House Committee on Agriculture and Food will carry put "daily" hearings on the proposed amendments to the RTL in order to expedite the matter.
When asked if it was possible to pull down rice prices to P20 per kilo at retail, Romualdez smiled and answered, "That is the aspiration."
"Yun po ang parang target, kasi alam naman natin na yung world market prices, e free market price—ay mataas talaga," noted the Speaker.
(That is like the target, because as we know, the world market price is a free market price--it's really high.)