Return NFA rice retailing in public markets - groups
The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and Bantay Bigas urged the Marcos administration to immediately return the retailing of the cheaper National Food Authority (NFA) rice in public markets.
This amid the expected price increase of P4 to P5 per kilo of rice in October this year.
This week, the groups have already monitored increases from P1 to P2 per kilo in some public markets in the National Capital Region.
The group claimed that the implementation of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Law "decoupled" the mandate and functions of the NFA including the retailing, and limited them to buffer stocking, relief distribution and distribution of rice to government agencies.
“Ito na ang mahigpit naming pagbabala bago pa ipatupad ang Rice Liberalization Law, na ang presyo ng bigas ay tataas sa dikta ng mga malalaking trader, dahil nga liberalized na ito. Unang casualty rito ang pagkawala ng murang NFA rice na dati ay P27-32 kada kilo, na binibili ng halos 10 milyong mahihirap na pamilya sa bansa. Bunsod din ng walang sapat na production subsidy sa pagsasaka at tumaas nang husto ang gastos sa abono, inputs at produktong langis, talagang tutulak nito pataas ang gastos sa palay at presyo ng bigas. Kung may murang NFA na bigas, hihilahin nito pababa ang mga presyo ng commercial rice na siyang regulatory measure nito,” said by Cathy Estavillo, Amihan Secretary-General and Bantay Bigas spokesperson.
Amihan and Bantay Bigas blamed the previous administration for enacting the Rice Liberalization Law.
They added that this worsened the chronic rice crisis in the country.
It also failed to result in lower prices of rice at P25 per kilo, the level its proponents promised during its deliberation, according to the two organi zat i ons.
They said its impact on rice farmers in 2019 and 2020 were worse than many typhoons combined, causing the loss of around P165 billion due to depressed farm gate prices from the previous P20 per kilo to P15 per kilo.
With the continuing liberalized sector in the trade of rice, inputs and oil products, the cost of production of palay were now at risen levels, according to Amihan and Bantay Bigas.
"Bigas ang pangunahing pagkain ng sambayanang Pilipino. Kung hirap rito ang mga maralitang pamilya, malinaw na may malawak na kagutuman sa bansa. Ang pinakamalala, kung ano ang inaasahan ng mga maralita tulad ng NFA rice, ito pa ang tinanggal ng gubyerno. Kasabay nito ang pagpapabaha ng imported na bigas, na nagpalugi naman sa mga magsasaka, kaya lalong nalagay sa alanganin ang lokal na suplay ng bigas. Ang lahat ng ito ay gubyerno mismo ang may kasalanan," Estavillo blamed.
The two groups said the cheaper NFA rice then was relatively affordable to poor Filipino families which were far lower than prevailing cheapest rice at around P36-38 per kilo.