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MANILA, Philippines — Senator Lito Lapid has requested the Division of Agriculture (DA) to supply a practical evaluation of the rice tariffication legislation’s alleged adversarial results on the farming trade.
Lapid mentioned Monday that he despatched a letter to outgoing Agriculture Secretary William Dar earlier asking the Division of Agriculture (DA) to look into the supposed unhealthy affect and penalties of the Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Import Liberalization Legislation, which the seventeenth Congress crafted.
Lapid burdened that the inputs of Dar are essential as it might be utilized in presumably amending the legislation – or by President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, who determined to additionally lead the DA when he assumes workplace by midday on June 30.
“Bagama’t patapos na ang termino ni Sec. Dar, kailangan sigurong bigyan natin ng totohanang pagsusuri ang naging implementasyon ng RTL na nagdulot ng pasakit sa maraming kababayan nating mga magsasaka,” the Senator mentioned in a press release.
“Ito ay upang mabigyan natin ng gabay ang susunod na administrasyon kung paano maisasaayos ang kasalukuyang programa para sa sektor ng agrikultura sa ating bansa,” he added.
In line with Lapid, he made the question after farmers who raised issues concerning the rice tariffication legislation sought his assist.
Among the many issues introduced embrace Ibon Basis’s observations that as imported rice introduced grain costs down, farmers have been compelled to promote their harvest for very low costs to stay aggressive.
Lapid famous that Ibon Basis already noticed a 19.5 % lower within the costs of native grains for each fancy and different varieties.
Ibon Basis mentioned in February that rice farmers’ internet earnings per hectare already dropped by 38 % on common since R.A. No. 11203 was carried out in 2019.
READ: Imports’ persevering with affect on PH farmers: Like dislocating the kneecaps
The Senator additionally talked about allegations from farmers that the promise of help by means of the P10 billion rice aggressive enhancement fund didn’t totally materialize, leading to huge losses for farmers.
Different complaints from farmers that Lapid talked about in his letter to Dar are:
- DA admitted that solely 5.4 million farmers of the estimated 12 million have been registered and encoded within the Registry System for Fundamental Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) — and of the 5.4 million, only one.04 million rice farmers obtained the unconditional money help of P5,000
- Not all farmers have been supposedly coated by the exemption on irrigation service charges supplied by Republic Act No. 10969 or the Free Irrigation Service Act
Lapid mentioned he understood the great intentions when the rice tariffication legislation was handed – to trim down a attainable enhance in rice costs because of inflation.
Nevertheless, he burdened that it ought to profit folks and producers, that are a significant a part of the financial system – at the same time as official numbers state that the legislation helped generate P18.9 billion whereas retaining inflation for rice at simply two %.
“Whereas the legislation’s goals have been undeniably laudable, it seems that it fell wanting its promised advantages to the customers, the financial system, and, most significantly, the farmers and the home agricultural trade,” Lapid identified.
READ: Rice tariffication: A litany of damaged guarantees
“The query is, are we doing sufficient to assist our farmers and defend our native trade? What’s being accomplished to make sure that our farmers will be capable to maintain their operations and assist their households amid the current financial realities?” he then requested.
Farmers and allied teams have known as for the repeal of the rice tariffication legislation because of its supposed ailing results on native farmers, which have been struggling even earlier than the legislation was handed and even earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic.
READ: New rice tariffication legislation inutile – Ibon
Defenders of farmers have famous that the mentioned legislation has not introduced any vital enchancment for customers, as rice costs are nonetheless increased than earlier than 2016.
KGA/abc
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