Marcos to certify rice tariffication amendments

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday expressed readiness to certify as urgent the proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), citing the need for the government to have a say in the pricing and selling of the staple.

The Rice Tariffication Act of 2019 stripped the National Food Authority (NFA) of its regulatory and import licensing issuance functions and limited its role to emergency buffer stocking of rice bought from local farmers.

It also permitted the private sector to freely import rice subject to a tariff.

Due to recent spikes in rice prices, some lawmakers – including Speaker Martin Romualdez – are seeking changes in the policy.

In pushing for changes, Romualdez estimated that the prices of the food staple would drop by P10 to P15 or near the P30 per kilogram mark if the law were amended.

Speaking to reporters in Pasay City, Marcos said amendments to the Rice Tariffication Act and the NFA charter would allow the government to influence the pricing of rice.

“It is something that has come up... The problem is the prices of rice increase because traders are competing. They try to outdo each other in setting high prices when buying palay (unhusked rice) and we do not have control over that,” the President said when asked about the proposed amendments.

“If we have amendments to the NFA charter and the Rice Tariffication Law, we could control, we would have an influence on the pricing of the palay to be purchased and the selling of rice. So, that’s what we are going to do,” he added.

Pressed if he would certify the amendment of the law as urgent, Marcos replied: “Yes, I think it justifies an urgent certification.”

Romualdez previously said the House aimed to lower the price of rice to close to P30 per kilo by June.

Data from the agriculture department showed that the price of local commercial rice ranges from P48 to P66 per kilogram while that of imported commercial rice ranges from P48 to P65 per kilogram as of May 3.

Marcos’ declaration was welcomed by agriculture officials. “We welcome the amendments of the RTL as its effectivity will end this year. It became effective in March 2019 after it was passed into law in the same year,”