Protesters in Mendiola
MANILA, Philippines — Representatives of farmers from different parts of Luzon gathered in Mendiola on Tuesday morning (December 4) to express their strong disapproval to the rice tariffication bill.
The group wrote an open letter to the president, expressing their sentiments about the bill and humbly requesting the president not to sign it.
They are anxious over the possible deficit that may result in the expected influx of cheap rice if the bill is passed, as traders would have no limits to importation.
“Ang kinababahala namin dito yung pag-open ng importation. Kasi sa ngayon marami ng lumalabas na bigas sa merkado na…hindi ito dumaan sa tamang proseso ng importation; puwede itong smuggled ito. Parang nile- legalize na sa tariffication bill na ito pati; smuggling kasama na rito,” said Silvestre Bonto, president of the National Confederation of Irrigators Association
Sharing the same apprehensions, Rustica Panganiban, president of the Provincial Farmers Action Council of Occidental Mindoro, fears that locally-produced rice will lose to imported stocks.
“Patuloy ang pagtaas ng mga gasoline, ganyan na rin po sa NFA (National Food Authority) o sa bigas dahil maraming imported rice na kung saan mababalewala na yung aming produkto dahil may imported rice na.” he said.
The farmers are also worried over the possible demise of the local industry of grain as palay farmers may no longer plant rice because of the proposed measure.
They added that unrestricted importation could lead to manipulation of prices and supply of grains in the country.
The farmer leaders are set to go to Malacañang on Wednesday (December 5) to appeal for President Rodrigo Duterte’s veto against the said bill.
“Magpaparating kami sa kaniya kung pwede namin siyang makausap nang harapan para maipaliwanag namin baka kasi hindi alam ni presidente na itong batas na ginawa na ito ay talagang makakaperwisyo at makapagpatay doon sa kabuhayan ng mga magsasakang Pilipino,” said Bonto.
Last Wednesday, the two chambers of the Congress ratified the rice tariffication bill and now awaiting the President’s signature.
The bill includes the allocation of the P10 billion fund for the machineries of the farmers.
But according to the group, they don’t need machineries as much as farm inputs and hybrid seeds.
Meanwhile, agriculture secretary Manny Piñol earlier said that the tariff from the imported rice will be used by the government to support Filipino farmers.
Even Senator Cynthia Villar, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture said earlier that the bill seeks to lower the price of rice in the market.
Villar explained that the farmers will not suffer from deficit because the National Food Authority is tasked to buy palay from the local farmers under the rice tariffication bill. — Catherine Maglalang | UNTV News & Rescue
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