“The approval of the Rice Tariffication Law will bring down the price of rice in the market by P7 per kilo and the local rice industry would be boosted through the P10-B tariff collected every year for the next six years.”
This was the rosy scenario presented by the Economic Managers, led by the powerful and influential Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, to President Rody Duterte to convince him to sign the Rice Tariffication Bill into Law, in spite of the opposition from the Department of Agriculture and the stakeholders of the rice sector.
Given that beautiful picture of happy consumers and vibrant and productive farmers, the President was convinced and rightly so!
Ang problema lang actually, hindi malalim ang pang-unawa ng mga Economic Managers sa kalakaran sa pangangalakal ng bigas.
Before we go deeper into what went wrong and what should be done to correct it, let us first clear up some misconceptions about the RTL.
First, it is NOT TRUE that opening the Philippine Rice Market to the unimpeded entry of imported rice was a commitment we made with the World Trade Organization. Our commitment was just to allow the entry of imported rice subject to tariffs.
Noon kasi, NFA lang ang puedeng mag-import at ito lang ang nagsasabi kung anong volume ang puedeng ma-import because it was responsible in issuing import permits.
Second, there were two versions of the RTL, the Congress Version which was the result of a series of consultations nationwide and supported by the stakeholders, and the Senate Version which was actually prepared by the Economic Managers and submitted to the Senate to subvert the Congress Version.
Sa Congress Version malayang maka-import ng bigas ang private sector subject to Tariff schedules and supervision of the National Food Authority and the government’s quarantine protocols.
Ang ibig sabihin ng Tariff Schedule, maaring itaas ng Pangulo ang taripa ng imported na bigas kung malakas ang ani ng mga Pilipinong magsasaka upang hindi sila masaktan at ibaba naman ito kung medyo kapos ang supply.
Sa Senate Version, tinanggalan ng kapangyarihan ang NFA na mag-supervise at regulate ng rice industry. In fact, hindi na ito puedeng mag-inspection sa mga bodega ng bigas at mag issue ng rice retailing permit sa palengke. Ginawa na lang na taga-imbak ng play for buffer stocks ang NFA pero hindi na puedeng mag-import at dapat lahat galing sa local farmers.
Sa Senate Version, free-for-all na ang importation. Kuha lang ang importer ng SPIS clearance sa BPI, bayad ng taripa sa Customs at pagkatapos puede nang magpapasok ng bigas hangga’t gusto mo.
Sa Senate Version, tinalian pa nila ang kamay ng Presidente sapagka’t puede lang itong maki-alam sa Tariff Schedule when Congress is not in session.
So, maski gusto pa ng Presidente na tulongan ang mga magsasaka, hindi niya magagawa ka-agad-agad because of that provision.
Now, just because the Economic Managers presented flawed assumptions on the Rice Tariffication Law, even the President is suffering from the backlash of negative reactions from rice farmers all over the country and I believe it is incumbent on them who pushed this measure to admit they were wrong and revisit the RTL.
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!
#MakinigDinKasiSaTagaBarangay!
(Video by Bong Piñol)
https://www.facebook.com/100044577333084/videos/577474956793624
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