Press Release - Villar bats for farmers' competitiveness

Senator Cynthia Villar called on Phil Rice to support our farmers in order to be more competitive.

"I am sponsoring the Rice Tarification Law (RTL) extension bill and I look forward to Phil Rice support on this," said Villar during the Department of Agriculture - Phil Rice Annual Review of the RCEF Seed and Extension Programs.

According to the chairperson of the Senate agriculture and food committee, we have not yet experienced more output of palay per hectare at lower production cost until under the RTL in 2020.

"When RTL started in 2019, inbred palay production per hectare has been consistently going up from - 3.66 ton per hectare in 2019, 3.95 tons in 2020 and in 2023, 4.19 tons, because of the distribution of high quality inbred seeds to farmers, by PhilRice" she noted.

Also through the RTL, she said, Phil Rice is mandated to lead the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Certified Seed Development, Propagation and Distribution Program and co-lead the RCEF Extension Program. RCEF Rice Program has also synergized and strengthened the local farmers into seed producer cooperatives to support and participate in the nationwide high quality seed production and trade. It has established 756 PalaySikatan Technology Demonstration sites in 404 cities and municipalities located in 58 provinces under its extension service mandate.

Villar said some of the target goals of PhilRice are to conduct in-depth research and development on better palay inbred varieties and to produce breeder, foundation, and registered seeds; better distribution system and improve relationship with LGUs to optimize implementation efficiency.

At present, there are 164 are inbred seed varieties and 15 are new varieties developed by PhilRice under RCEF.

Villar passed in 2019, Republic Act No. 11203, or the RTL, which removed the quantitative restriction on rice imports and set aside an annual P10B from the tariff collected from imported rice that comprises the RCEF.

The senator pointed out that RCEF makes the rice industry competitive.

"Thirty percent or P3Billion a year of the RCEF is allotted to giving of inbred rice seeds for planting by PhilRice, while 10% is allotted for extension