Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 13) – Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution on Tuesday seeking to look into the “uncoordinated” policies related to the mandatory rice price ceiling and the proposed zero percent tariff rate on imported rice.
“There is an evident lack of leadership, coordination, and cohesion in the policies on rice regulation, to the grave risk and detriment of the people,” the resolution stated.
According to Hontiveros, the regulations implemented contradicted the state policies in providing \”effective and sufficient protection of consumers against hoarding, profiteering, and cartels.\”
She also said that economists have opposed the measures as these would cause huge losses to local farmers and retailers.
\”We will soon see rice shortage, black markets, and rice queues, making rice even less accessible and risking critical supply gaps which hurt the poorest of Filipinos most,\” the case cited.
On Monday, lawmakers slammed the proposal of the Department of Finance (DOF) to temporarily cut tariff rates on imported rice from 35% to 10% or even zero.
READ: Lawmakers lambast proposed lower tariff on rice imports
Hontiveros said zero percent tariff rates on imported rice would contradict the administration’s past statements in protecting the farmers from traders and importers.
On July 7, the Commission on Audit (COA) reported that the National Food Authority (NFA) did not meet the required national rice buffer budget despite having a ₱7-billion subsidy from the government.
READ: NFA failed to meet 300,000 MT rice buffer stock despite ₱7-B budget — COA
