SAYING that rice farmers should not be made to wait, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said on Tuesday that rice tariff-setting guidelines and the unreleased P13 billion from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund “should not be lost in the bureaucracy.”
“Our economic managers promised that the new rice tariff-setting guidelines will be released first week of December. The deadline is nearing,” said Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate’s Agriculture committee.
“Huwag naman nang ma-delay iyan dahil bawat araw ng delay, nagdudulot ng anxiety sa ating mga magpapalay. Naghahanda na sila para sa susunod na anihan sa Pebrero-Marso. Deserve ng ating magpapalay ang kaliwanagan ng transparency.”
[Please let’s not delay this further. Every day of delay brings them anxiety. They are preparing for the next harvest in February-March. They deserve some transparency].
“The changes in world rice prices are real-time, so I hope our adjustments in tariff are also real time. Or near real-time,” he added.
The non-release of P13 billion from the Rcef also worries him, especially for the funds pertaining to the purchase of seeds, since the planting season has begun.
The planting season runs September to February, with peak planting November to December in Visayas and Mindanao, and December to January in Luzon.
“Delayed seeds mean missed planting windows, lower yields, and lost income.”
“Because the government failed to release funds on time, mechanization, hauling trucks, drying facilities, and training for 18,000 farmers are all on hold. This is not a technical delay—this is a blow to productivity and food security,” said the senator.
We therefore call on the Departments of Agriculture (DA), of Finance (DOF) and of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev); and the Department of Budget and Management to release the full P13 billion Rcef balance, with priority for seedlings, before planting windows close.
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