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A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organization (NGO) is calling for the repeal of the Rice Liberalization Law and advocating for the strengthening of local food production following the declaration of a Food Security Emergency on rice.

Alfie Pulumbarit, National Coordinator of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agriukultura (Masipag), criticized the law, which has been in effect for six years, stating that it has devastated local rice production and flooded the Philippines with imports.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11203, known as the Rice Liberalization Law, was signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte on February 14, 2019, after consultations with government agencies and stakeholders.

Masipag highlighted that since the law’s implementation, the Philippines has become the world’s largest rice importer, bringing in about 4.68 million metric tons in 2024, with projections for 5.22 million metric tons in 2025. The group argues that the law has made the country dependent on the global rice market, leaving Filipinos vulnerable to price shocks and supply disruptions.

"The government says it wants to lower rice prices, but it refuses to confront the real issue -the control of rice supply, pricing by private traders and cartels, and the continuous shrinking of our agricultural lands and rampant use of unsustainable practices," Pulumbarit said. 

Earlier, the Department of Agriculture (DA) declared a Food Security Emergency on rice, which allowed the National Food Authority (NFA) to release 150,000 metric tons from their buffer stock, to be sold at P33 per kilogram through local government units and the Kadiwa program.

However, Masipag has dismissed this as a “band-aid solution,” claiming that RA 11203 has failed. 

Pulumbarit said that to lower rice prices, the government must control the rice supply, stop profiteering by traders, and address issues like shrinking agricultural land and unsustainable practices.

The group also expressed concerns over a report by the NFA on January 15, 2025, which stated they had only 708,217 bags of rice in stock, with 7,991,522 bags of unprocessed palay. They also highlighted corruption within the agency, citing an incident in February-March 2024 when the NFA sold rice to private traders at P25 per kilo.

Ignacio Sutil, a farmer from South Cotabato, said that under RA 11203, yields have decreased due to poor-quality seeds and fertilizers provided to farmers. He warned that continued rice imports would further hurt local farmers as prices for their produce drop.

“Magsige ta ug import unya magsige ta ug import unya kinsa ma igo og dako katu gihapong gagmay nga mag-uuma (We’ll keep importing, and who gets hurt? It’s the small farmers),”  he said during the “Bigas lang ang Nagmamahal”  forum on Friday, February 14, 2025, at Ateneo de Davao University. 

Bernard Cael, an organic farmer from South Cotabato, agreed that RA 11203 is not the solution. He suggested the best approach is to teach farmers sustainable farming methods, adding that he shifted to organic farming to avoid chemicals in his own food.

“Ang pinakamaayo ana tudluan ang mag-uuma sa pina-appropriate na farming system, natural lang (Teaching farmers natural farming methods is the best solution),” he said. 

Cael also recalled how farmers once sold palay for P23 to P24 per kilo before RA 11203, but after its implementation, the price dropped to P12 to P14 per kilo, leaving many farmers barely breaking even.

With the 2025 midterm elections approaching, Masipag warned that the Food Security Emergency could be used as a political tool. Pulumbarit noted that subsidized rice distribution could be used to gain votes while politicians fail to implement long-term solutions. 

The group urged the public to oppose failed policies that have worsened the food security crisis. RGP

Source : sunstar