House Agriculture Committee chair and ANAC-IP Rep. Jose Panganiban, Jr. on Wednesday reiterated his call for the Senate to pass their version of the rice tariffication bill, following the passage of the measure by the House of Representatives (HOR).
The bill, which will replace quantitative restrictions on rice imports with the imposition of tariffs or taxes, was approved by the House on third and final reading last Tuesday.
The HOR voted 200-7-2 to pass House Bill No. 7735 or the Revised Agricultural Tariffication Act a week after it hurdled second reading.
“Rice is part of every Filipino’s food basket. If it gets more expensive, either a family is forced to spend less for other food items, or it is forced to spend more for food.”
“I call on the Senate to pass their version of the rice tariffication bill at the soonest possible time,” said Panganiban, the bill’s sponsor, as he stressed that the bill’s passage is needed to stabilize the price of rice.
The legislator added that with inflation hitting 5.7 percent in July, the need to introduce measures that will help lighten the burden on consumers has become more urgent.
“Rice is part of every Filipino’s food basket. If it gets more expensive, either a family is forced to spend less for other food items, or it is forced to spend more for food as a whole at the expense of other basic needs; neither scenario is acceptable,” said Panganiban.
Panganiban also eased concerns that Filipino farmers would be abandoned by the shift in policy.
“We have placed safeguards to ensure that local farmers are protected, and that the agriculture industry becomes more productive,” he said.
“We have placed safeguards to ensure that local farmers are protected, and that the agriculture industry becomes more productive.”
Panganiban added that the duties collected from rice imports would be set aside for rice farmers.
Under the bill, a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund will be created, which would consist of duties collected from rice imports. The fund will be broken down as follows:
– Establishment of a rice endowment fund (20 percent).
-Credit subsidy or grants to modernize and increase production of rice farms (20 percent).
– Rice crop finance (20 percent).
-Postharvest facilities, logistics, storage, transportation facilities, and infrastructure projects (20 percent).
– Rice scholarships and vocational education (10 percent).
– Research and development (10 percent).
“This measure is beneficial to all sectors. The House has performed its role, now it is time for the Senate to do its part,” said Panganiban.
