Bro. Eddie Tells Government: Get Your Act Together Over Rice Policy Issue

Bangon Pilipinas lone senatorial candidate Eddie Villanueva urged three government agencies to “get their acts together” over disagreements in proposed reforms on the government’s policy on rice self sufficiency.​

Villanueva said the Department of Agriculture (DA), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) should sit down and discuss the repercussions of proposals to lift restrictions on rice imports and abolish the National Food Authority (NFA).​

Villanueva noted that any changes to the government’s policy on rice self sufficiency should, first and foremost, consider the plight of the small farmers – many of whom are forced to live in debt because they cannot earn enough to live a decent life.​

“The government should get its act together in reforming its rice self-sufficiency policy and work to ensure the protection of the small farmers, those who will be really vulnerable,” Villanueva said.​

“These proposed changes to such vital public policy should be thoroughly vetted in public to ensure not only the transparency in the adoption of a new policy but, more importantly, that the possible effects of the policy shift are sufficiently discussed and addressed.”​

News reports cited pronouncements from a top DA official assailing the lobbying by NEDA and DBM to lift limits on rice importation and abolish the NFA.​

Villanueva said he opposes the lifting restrictions on rice imports, saying this further exposes farmers to unfair competition coming from cheap produce from heavily-subsidized agricultural sectors abroad. He noted that the government is achieving little progress in addressing farmers’ concerns over the high cost of rice production with the continually increasing price of fertilizers, seeds, tools, and other farm inputs.​

“The lifting of existing barriers to rice importation goes against our objective of protecting our farmers from unfair global trade. How can our small farmers who receive very little support from government in terms of subsidies as well as technological and infrastructural support compete with more mature agricultural sectors abroad that are heavily subsidized by their governments?” Villanueva said.​

Villanueva also said he supports calls to abolish the NFA, saying the agency’s current dual role as trader and regulator has resulted in grossly overpriced deals entered into by the agency.

​“We support proposals to abolish the NFA, but we must ensure that safeguards are put in place to protect our small farmers through this transition,” Villanueva said, adding that the mandate to regulate rice purchases be transferred to the DA proper.