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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House adopts quinta-comm pitch for all establishments to offer half-cup rice

House adopts quinta-comm pitch for all establishments to offer half-cup rice

Published Jun 13, 2025 12:13 pm

At A Glance

  • Lawmakers have agreed with a recommendation to require all establishments to offer half-cup rice servings in a bid to reduce wastage on rice--the Filipino staple food.
Lawmakers have agreed with a recommendation to require all establishments to offer half-cup rice servings in a bid to reduce wastage on rice--the Filipino staple food.
On the last day of the plenary session Wednesday, June 11, the House of Representatives adopted the House quinta-committee's (quinta-comm) Committee Report No. 1518 that made various recommendations to address issues on rice supply, high-value crops (HVC), livestock and poultry, and credit and finances industries.
Among the joint-panel's recommendations is requiring all establishments to offer and make available upon request half-cup rice servings to lessen rice wastage as it remains a serious concern and contributes significantly to food insecurity and economic inefficiency.
The lawmakers are proposing a fine ranging from P10,000 to P100,000 to anyone caught violating it or a suspension of business license or operations for a minimum of 30 days.
To address other problems in the rice and high-value crop industries, the quinta-comm also proposed to augment support to farm production, exempt agricultural machinery from value-added tax (VAT),  allow foreign shipowners to operate within the Philippines to reduce cost of logistics, review tariff adjustment, hasten the implementation of anti-agriculture economic sabotage act, restore powers of the National Food Authority (NFA) and enhance price monitoring.
ASF vaccines
Meanwhile, regarding concerns in livestock, poultry and dairy industries, the joint committee suggested the fast procurement of African swine fever (ASF) vaccine through the utilization of the Quick Response Fund under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act.
The solons also wanted the government to streamline the importation process for the products of the said industries and increase tariff rates for mechanically deboned meat (MDM) to prevent prevailing tariff rates from being abused by importers through technical smuggling.
They also pushed for the implementation of Cold Examination Facility for Agriculture (CEFA) project, which they called "essential to the Department of Agriculture (DA)'s goal of strengthening the country's capability to conduct first-border inspections and improve the examination of containerized agricultural commodities".
Credit and Finance
On providing credit and finance to farmers, the panel recommended the following:
• Amend the law on non-compliance with credit quota for farmers
• Extend access to remote barangays
• Relax the regulatory parameters and explore non-traditional mechanisms to engage more farmers
• Extend more credit financing for HVCs and livestock, and
• Encourage clustering along value chains
The quinta-committee was co-chaired by Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of Committee on Ways and Means; Iloilo 4th district Rep. Ferjenel Biron, chairman of Committee on Trade and Industry; Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Enverga, chairman of Committee on Agriculture and Food; Nueva Ecija 3rd district Rep. Rosanna Vergara, chairman of Committee on Social Services; and Nueva Vizcaya lone district Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, chairman of Special Committee on Food Security.
The joint committee sought to identify existing laws and policies that affect food security and social protection, as well as propose improvements to existing monitoring and oversight systems.
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