MANILA – Farmers should be included in the Program Steering Committee (PSC) tasked to implement projects funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), according to one of the candidates running for senator in the upcoming elections.
Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos issued the suggestion as she hit the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Rice Tariffication law, which she had earlier voiced support for.
“The IRR cannot subvert the spirit and mandate of the law to make farmers part of the Program Steering Committee. Itinatag ang RCEF upang tulungan ang mga magsasaka. Kaya dapat lamang na may tinig at representasyon sila sa Program Steering Committee ng RCEF para masigurado na ang mga RCEF- funded projects ay magbibigay ng kailangang tulong sa mga magsasaka,” Marcos said in a statement.
“It is extremely unfair and unwise to deny our farmers’ representation in the PSC when they are in the best position to provide information to ensure proper implementation of RCEF funded projects. The IRR should be amended immediately to give our farmers a voice in the PSC. After all, kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka ang nanganganib mawala kung hindi maayos ang pagpapatupad ng Rice Import Liberalization Law,” Marcos added.
The Ilocos Norte governor claimed that the Federation of Free Farmers and the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura have expressed strong disappointment over the IRR.
The IRR includes only the heads of government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, National Irrigation Administration and National Economic and Development Authority as members of the PSC.
Sought for comment, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) already represented the farmers.
“It is understood that the DA through the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries could sufficiently represent the interests of the farmers,” Piñol told GMA News Online.
“The PCAF is an advisory body composed of farmers representing several sectors, including rice,” the secretary added.
Several senate aspirants have earlier given their take on the Rice Tariffication Law – which was enacted in February – with some criticizing it while others welcoming it even as they urged the government to ensure the measure would properly address rice farmers’ concerns.
Magdalo representative Gary Alejano of the Otso Diretso slate warned that the new law might lead to the dependency of the country on foreign rice supply, while Otso Diretso senatorial bet, Chel Diokno, the Rice Tariffication Law killed the functions of the National Food Authority (NFA).
Re-electionist senator Cynthia Villar, who sits as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, lauded the passage of the measure, especially since it would provide a P10-billion RCEF.
Rice tariffication law
The Rice Tariffication law, which lifted restrictions on the entry of imported rice into the country, allots an initial budget of P10 billion for the RCEF.
The RCEF is where the tariff collected from all imported rice under the liberalized rice import regime would go.
The RCEF would be used to provide needed assistance to farmers so as to lower the cost of rice production and make the Philippines competitive with other rice-producing countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.
At present, the country’s rice production cost is at P12 a kilo while it is only P6 a kilo in other countries in the region. (GMA News)
