The House plenary hall (Contributed photo)

On just its third week in the legislative mill, the measure seeking to provide the public with cheaper rice by tweaking the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) has been approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives. 

Garnening 231 "yes" votes during plenary session Tuesday night, May 21 was House Bill (HB) No.10381, or the proposed Act seeking to amend Republic Act (RA) No. 11203, or the RTL. 

There were only three "no" votes and one abstention against the bill, which no less than House Speaker Martin Romualdez began to push for in early May. 

A key revision to RTL that's being pursued is the restoration of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) power to directly sell relatively cheaper rice to the market. This will pave the way for the return of "NFA rice".  

By May 7, the House Committee on Agriculture and Food chaired by Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga approved the substitute bill for the measures seeking the RTL amendments. 

A week later, May 14 the consolidated measure, now known as HB No.10381, was passed on second reading after the conduct of plenary debates. The next day, May 15,, the measure was momentarily recalled to plenary for minor revision, and then re-approved on second reading.  

"We are committed to ensuring that rice—our staple food—remains affordable and accessible to all. By refining the RTL, we address its shortcomings and provide our farmers with the support they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive market," Romualdez said last week. 

With its third reading passage in the House Tuesday, the proposed statute now awaits its fate in the Senate, which is the other legislative chamber. 

The five-year-old RTL originally banned the NFA from buying and selling rice in a bid to pull down rice prices, But since the RTL's enactment, rice prices have continued to increase. 

Under the bill, the NFA will be allowed to buy local milled rice as needed to maintain a rice buffer stock. In emergency cases, it will even be allowed to directly import rice with authorization from the President. 

Some senators have been lukewarm to resforing old powers of the NFA due to reported corruption in the agency.  

Well-milled to premium rice varieties retail anywhere from P50 to P60. 

The House of Representatives under the Marcos administration has sought to give poor Filipinos better access to affordable rice. 

The leader of the chamber, Romualdez, has even earned the moniker "Mr. Rice" because of his preference to make rice the centerpiece of his aid distribution programs.