Pictures Won’t Lie! Rice Prices Higher Now Than In 2018 Before RTL

Those who argue that the controversial Rice Tariffication Law benefitted 105-million consumers because of lower rice prices in the market should take a close look at these photos posted here.

The first photo is a grab of a recent newspaper report quoting the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) saying that rice prices continued to increase even with the unimpeded importation from Vietnam, Thailand and other countries.

Check out the prices of rice in the first photo and compare these to the prices in the succeeding photos taken in October 2018 when I and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez implemented the SRP and quality control program for rice sold in the market.

It should be remembered that it was only in September 2018, shortly after the artificial “rice shortage” when the National Food Authority (NFA) was placed back under the Department of Agriculture.

The NFA, far from being a perfect agency of government, still had supervisory and regulatory powers over the rice industry.

Under the RTL, the NFA had been relegated to a buffer stocking agency.

So, if the price of rice in the market did not go down as projected and the Filipino rice farmers suffered losses because of the flooding of imported rice in the market while inflation soared to as high as 4.5% now, who actually benefitted from the RTL?

I am sure the proponents of the RTL know the answer.

The only thing that needs to be settled now is whether they will be honest enough to admit that the RTL, assuming that the intentions were noble and really aimed at bringing about benefits for the people, actually missed its targets by a mile.

When that is done then it will not be difficult to take a second look at the RTL to examine its flaws and work for the amendment of the law.

#GiovernanceIsCommonSense!

(First image shows a photo of the prices of rice in the market today, post-RTL, while the succeeding photos taken in October 2018 show the pricing and correct labeling of rice.)