House Deputy Minority Leader Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima is calling for a comprehensive review of Republic Act (RA) No. 11203 or the “Rice Tariffication Law (RTL)--a measure that has supposedly failed to achieve its goal.

De Lima filed for this purpose House Resolution (HR) No. 645 even as she cited the continuing surge in rice prices and the growing clamor from farmers' groups and consumer advocates for the restoration of the regulatory and market intervention powers of the National Food Authority (NFA).

“Kung hindi natutupad ang magandang layunin ng umiiral na batas at nakakadagdag pa sa mabigat nang pasanin ng ating mga magsasaka at consumers, hindi na dapat magpatumpik-tumpik pa ang Kongreso na amyendahan ito at maglatag ng mas epektibong mekanismo para makatulong sa ating mga nangangailangang kababayan,” De Lima said.

(If the noble intent of the existing law is not being fulfilled and it only adds to the heavy burden of our farmers and consumers, then Congress should no longer hesitate to amend it and lay down more effective mechanisms to help our fellow citizens in need.)

Rice is the Filipino staple food. As such, the former senator underscored the need for a systematic review of the implementation of the RTL to determine appropriate policy interventions to lower rice prices and ensure food security.

Through the resolution, the concerned House panel shall assess the proposed restoration of NFA powers, identify effective safeguards against potential abuses, inefficiencies, or market distortions, and ensure transparency and accountability in its operations.  

“The price of rice has continued to rise, negatively impacting the livelihoods of farmers and placing a significant burden on the household budgets of millions of families, particularly those in the most vulnerable sectors of society,” De Lima stressed.

“The current market-led approach, while intended to foster competition and reduce prices, has seemingly failed to consistently deliver affordable rice to consumers, with recent price surges indicating potential market inefficiencies, speculative activities, possible illegal acts of price manipulation, or supply chain weaknesses,” she added.

Enacted in 2019, RA No.11203 imposed farmer protection tariffs on rice imports in lieu of quantitative restrictions with the goal of lowering rice prices. It limited the functions of the NFA primarily to buffer stocking for emergency and disaster relief.

Prior to the enactment of the RTL, the NFA possessed extensive regulatory and market intervention powers, including direct rice importation, price stabilization through strategic buying and selling, and the setting of price ceilings and floors, which aimed to protect both consumers from exorbitant prices and farmers from exploitative farmgate prices.

According to the Bicol lawmaker, a strengthened NFA, with effective safeguards, could potentially: (1) implement a more proactive price stabilization program by managing supply and influencing market prices; (2) ensure a stable and affordable supply of rice, especially for low-income households; (3) provide a more robust buffer stock that can quickly respond to supply shortages and emergencies; (4) support local rice farmers by offering competitive farmgate prices for their produce, thereby incentivizing domestic production; and (5) counteract potential hoarding, profiteering, and cartelistic practices by unscrupulous traders.

“Malinaw na hindi tayo dapat nakaasa sa importasyon para mapababa ang presyo ng bigas, mapataas ang kita ng ating mga magsasaka, at maabot ang seguridad sa pagkain. Kailangan ng mga magsasaka ng proteksyon mula sa mapang-abusong mga traders, lalong-lalo na ang sapat na suporta ng gobyerno mula sa pagbubungkal ng lupa, sa pagtatanim at pag-ani, hanggang sa paghahatid ng produkto sa merkado,” she added.

(It is clear that we should not rely on importation to lower the price of rice, raise farmers’ incomes, and achieve food security. Farmers need protection from abusive traders, and above all, sufficient government support from tilling the land, to planting and harvesting, all the way to bringing their products to market.)