AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee on Friday said the Philippines should focus on improving rice self-sufficiency as he warned against being overly dependent on rice imports.
“While we thank Vietnam for the assurance that there will be a steady supply of rice to the Philippines, the export policies of other nations are beyond our control and we cannot predict when these will change. Isang halimbawa nito ang desisyon ng India noong nakaraang buwan na itigil ang pag-export ng bigas,” Lee said.
The Bicolano lawmaker argued that food security is a key component of national security, saying inadequate access to food can trigger social unrest.
The president of Vietnam’s National Assembly had earlier assured House Speaker Martin Romualdez that Vietnam—which currently supplies 90 percent of Philippine rice imports—will continue to provide the Philippines with a stable supply of rice at affordable prices.
On the other hand, the Indian government last month imposed a ban on non-basmati white rice after retail rice prices climbed three percent in a month after heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage to crops.
“As such, the best solution to shield ourselves from unpredictable export policies is for us to ensure our farmers are fully supported by our laws, programs, and policies to be able to plant and harvest rice, katulad ng New Agrarian Emancipation Act na nilagdaan ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos bilang batas nitong nakaraang buwan lamang,” Lee, a principal author of the new law, stressed.
“Kailangan nating tulungan ang ating mga magsasaka na magkaroon ng kakayahan na makapagtanim at masiguro na mayroon silang aanihin para magkaroon tayo ng sapat na supply ng bigas. Kapag nangyari ito, magiging Winner Tayo Lahat,” he added.
The Bicolano lawmaker argued that food security is a key component of national security, saying inadequate access to food can trigger social unrest.
“The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization defines food security as existing when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. When physical and economic access to food is restricted or limited, or if access to food becomes inconsistent or unstable, hindi magtatagal ay posibleng magkagulo,” he said.
Farmers’ group Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) previously warned that the retail price of rice will have a P4 per kilo increase until the mid-September palay harvest as the price of palay continues to rise.
PCAFI said the upward trend in the retail price of grains can be attributed to the high cost of imported rice, particularly in Vietnam, which could be taking advantage of India’s rice ban to increase the prices of its rice exports.
