The Governor of one of the rice-producing provinces of Mindanao, North Cotabato, has called on Congress and Senate to review and amend the Rice Tariffication Law as thousands of rice farming families suffer from very low farm gate prices.
Gov. Nancy Catamco, herself a former Congresswoman, said the province’s rice farmers desperately need support from the country’s legislators to correct a flawed legislation which allows the unimpeded entry of imported rice into the country.
“Hindi ko pabayaan ang mga farmers ng Cotabato and right now they are suffering from the adverse effects of unlimited importation of rice,” Gov. Catamco said as she joined hundreds of farmers in a dialogue which followed a peaceful protest rally in the town of M’lang, a major rice producing town.
She was joined by M’lang Mayor Russel Abonado, Vice Mayor Joselito Piñol, Board Member Maria Krista P. Solis, M’lang local officials and farmer leaders.
“We are not against the Rice Tariffication Program because as a former legislator I understand our commitments to the World Trade Organization,” she said.
She, however, added that in abiding by the country’s WTO commitments, government must not jeopardize the welfare of the millions of Filipino rice farmers who depend on the industry.
“Hindi naman mahirap ang kahilingan ng ating mga magsasaka -let us review the RTL kasi while maganda ang intensyon ng batas, hindi naging mabuti ang resulta sa ating mga mamamayan,” the Governor added.
With her call, Gov. Catamco becomes the first provincial executive of a major rice producing province to call for the review and amendment of the RTL passed by the Senate unanimously in 2019.
#LetsHearTheCriesOfFarmers!
(Photos and report from former Board Member Socrates Piñol.)
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