Villar slams NFA for opposing rice tariffication
Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday assailed the National Food Authority (NFA) for opposing the rice tariffication law. Villar was reacting to the statements made by acting NFA Administrator Tomas Escarez against Republic Act No. 11203, the Rice Tariffication Law, which replaces the quantitative restriction on rice imports with tariffs to liberalize importation of rice and boost the country's supply.
In his speech before NFA employees during the flag-raising ceremony at the NFA's headquarters in Quezon City Monday, Escarez said the signing of the RA 11203 “broke the hearts of millions of Filipino farmers, consumers, small grains businessmen and employees who rely on NFA for support.”
The agency's employees were clad in black to protest the enactment of the new law, fearing they may lose their jobs later.
But Villar said the NFA should have prevented the surge in rice prices if it is indeed concerned about Filipinos.
“If he has concern for the people, why was he not able to stop the sale of rice at 45, 55, and 65 pesos per kilo in the last quarter of the year? Isn’t it their job is to stabilize rice prices? Why weren’t they able to stabilize the prices?” she asked during an interview at the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite, Tuesday.
The NFA was blamed for the surge in the prices of rice last year after it failed to maintain its supply of affordable rice.
The senator, who sponsored the measure in the Senate, believes that the NFA was opposed to the rice tariffication because it removes the agency's control over rice importation.