The government’s declaration of a food security emergency is an admission that Executive Order (EO) 62 has failed to lower rice prices, an agricultural group said.
In a statement on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) welcomed efforts to stabilize rice prices but stressed that the emergency declaration underscores the failure of tariff cuts and unlimited imports to benefit consumers, urging its immediate repeal.
“The emergency declaration is a direct admission from the government that tariff reduction and unlimited imports have not lowered rice prices,” SINAG Executive Director Jayson Cainglet said.
He called on authorities to crack down on those profiting from the persistently high cost of rice and to prosecute them under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act (RA 12022).
“Hindi nakinabang ang consumers sa natipid na ₱16 billion ng importer-traders sa tariff reduction (Consumers did not benefit from the P16 billion saved by importer-traders through tariff reduction),” Cainglet added, emphasizing that the supposed savings never reached ordinary Filipinos.
Repealing EO 62
SINAG said that revoking EO 62 would generate additional government revenue that could be redirected to directly support rice farmers.
“Allocating ₱16 billion to 1.5 million hectares of rice lands could reduce the cost of producing palay by ₱2.90 per kilo, which would translate to a ₱5 per kilo reduction in local rice prices,” Cainglet explained.
He also pointed out that global rice prices have dropped significantly—from $568 per metric ton on July 10, 2024, to $422 on January 18, 2025—a $146 per metric ton decrease. This price drop equates to an ₱8.54 per kilo reduction, far exceeding the ₱6-7 per kilo decrease that EO 62 aimed to achieve.
“Kung hindi itinulak ang EO 62, matagal na sanang napababa ang presyo ng bigas through increased support for local production (Had EO 62 not been implemented, rice prices could have been lowered much earlier through increased support for local production),” he stated.
To ensure fair farmgate prices and stable consumer costs, SINAG urged the government to increase the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) budget for purchasing palay at P22-23 per kilo—helping farmers earn sustainably while keeping rice prices affordable.
On Feb. 3, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. declared a food security emergency in the Philippines to address persistently high rice prices, despite declining global costs and reduced tariffs.
Signed by President Marcos in December 2024, EO 62 slashed tariffs on rice imports in an attempt to bring down retail prices.
However, the policy faced strong opposition from farmers’ groups and agricultural stakeholders, who argued that it primarily benefited importers and traders while failing to control rising rice costs.
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