Groups gather signatures vs Rice Liberalization Law
The rice watch group Bantay Bigas and the Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women led the petition signing today held at the Litex Public Market in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City to gather public’s support in demanding the repeal of RA 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Law as palay farmgate prices continue to drop ranging from P10-14 per kilo in rice producing provinces across the country.
“The damage of the Rice Liberalization Law to our farmers’ livelihood, the local rice industry and the country’s food self-sufficiency and security has been very clear since its implementation more than a year ago. Farmers have already been suffering from bankruptcy and indebtedness for 2 to 3 harvest seasons due to the drop in palay farmgate price. RLL has also failed to lower the retail price of commercial rice while the cheaper NFA rice sold at P27 and P32 per kilo has long been absent in public markets,” Amihan secretary general and Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo said.
Estavillo added that the P10 billion RCEF cannot offset the P75-80 billion lost by farmers or P28-30,000 for every rice farmer on the law’s first year of implementation alone.
“Our lawmakers and the Duterte government should heed the farmers’ call and take immediate act i on. Hindi makatarungan na paulitulit na lang kada anihan na nagmamakaawa ang mga magsasaka para sa tulong at suporta mula sa gobyerno,”Estavillo said.