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PHILIPPINE SENATE
(November 12, 2018)
On the occasion of the month of November being the RICE AWARENESS MONTH celebration,
may we respectfully bring to the foremost attention of the distinguished Senators our strong
collective opposition to Senate Bill 1998 on Rice Tariffication because of its ANTI-FARMER,
ANTI-EMPLOYEE and ANTI-PEOPLE provisions!!!
We have summarized below the salient points of our collective position for your perusal and
consideration:
Rice importation is only a band aid solution to rice shortage in the country. State intervention and
support is needed to avert the ever increasing dependency on imported rice. A state agency
exclusive for rice only, with modernized facilities is needed to procure food staple locally thru
forward farm gate price based on the cost of production so that fair return for the farmers are
realized. Funds for the purpose should be annually allocated thru the General Appropriations
Act. Subsidy on farm inputs and farm machineries must return and continued. Build, build,
build must also include initiatives in the rural areas such as the provision for irrigation, farm to
market roads, warehouses and processing centers. Capacity and capability building of farmers
cooperatives is necessary so that marketing channels will be reduced which will result to lower
price of milled rice at consumer level. And lastly, government’s rural finance which is currently
locked among Government Financial Institutions (GFIs) must be liberalized by expanding direct
credit thru non-GFI conduits like the Department of Agriculture and National Food Authority,
government agencies with direct link to rice farmers.
ANTI-FARMER BY FARMERS
1.Its tariff/rice fund provisions will not 1.100% of tariff be plowed back to over and
directly benefit the farmers. above the annual budget from GAA.
ANTI-CONSUMER/ANTI-PEOPLE BY CONSUMERS