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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon says rice will be P20 per kilo cheaper if Rice Tarrification Law gets amended 

Solon says rice will be P20 per kilo cheaper if Rice Tarrification Law gets amended 

Published May 4, 2024 06:07 am

At A Glance

  • AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee expects retail prices of rice to drop by as much as P20 per kilo if and when the proposed amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 11023 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) comes to fruition. 

IMG-7819fbe4841c9e7e7aded441624b9e2d-V-01.jpeg(Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee expects retail prices of rice to drop by as much as P20 per kilo if and when the proposed amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 11023 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) comes to fruition.

The main goal of the move to amend the RTL is to restore the National Food Authority’s (NFA) power to buy palay (unhusked rice) from local farmers which would be sold at a cheaper price in the market.

According to Lee, if the agency was allowed to buy local palay and sell it to the public, it might result to rice worth P37 to P40 per kilo in the market.

This is significantly cheaper than the current P51 to P57 per kilo.

“Dapat may choice ang consumers, hindi yung napipilitan silang bumili ng mahal na bigas na napatungan na ng mga traders ang presyo," Lee, a neophyte lawmaker in the 19th Congress, said.

(Consumers must have a choice, they shouldn't be forced to buy expensive rice with prices that have been bloated by traders.)

"Kung maibabalik ang mandatong ito sa NFA, mapoprotektahan ang kabuhayan ng ating mga magsasaka at ma-e-engganyo silang pataasin ang produksyon. Mas makakamura sa NFA rice ang marami nating kababayan," he explained.

(If the NFA gets back this mandate, then we will be able to protect the livelihood of our farmers and encourage them to increase their production. Our countrymen will find NFA rice cheaper.)

“Sa pag-amyenda ng RTL, dapat ibalik na ang mandato ng NFA na pagbili ng palay sa lokal na mga magsasaka, hindi lang para siguruhin ang kita ng ating local food producers, kundi para mapababa rin ang presyo ng bigas,” the Bicolano further said.

(By amending the RTL, we must bring back the NFA's mandate to purchase rice from local farmers not only to ensure profitability among our local food producers, but to also reduce rice prices.)

The enactment of the RTL in 2019 prohibited the NFA from directly selling rice stocks to the market and limited its function to storing buffer stocks for calamities.

Rice is the country's staple food.

Related Tags

Wilbert T. Lee NFA rice Rice Tariffication Law National Food Authority Rice prices
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