Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ G. Escudero expects rice farmers to get a boost in their production with greater support coming from the government through the amendments to the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996.
With the signing into law of Senate Bill No. 2779 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. tomorrow, December 9, 2024, Escudero said the country’s rice farmers will receive greater support through the provision of farm machinery and equipment, free distribution of high-quality inbred certified seeds, and other interventions.
The law extends the life of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which is sourced from the tariffs collected from the importation of rice, until 2031.
An increase in the annual allocation to the RCEF will also be instituted, from the current P10 billion to P30-B until the year 2031.
“Kailangan palakasin ang suporta sa ating mga magsasaka para makamit natin ang hangarin na makapag-ani ng mas marami pang bigas at mapababa ang presyo nito para sa ating mga mamamayan. Mahalaga para sa lahat ng Pilipino ang bigas kung kaya tinugunan ng Senado ang pagpasa ng mga batas tulad nito para makamit natin ang hangarin na ito,” Escudero said.
A buffer stock of rice will be maintained, equivalent to 30 days at any given time, to sustain disaster relief programs of the government during natural or man-made calamities and to address food security emergency situations on rice.
The Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Plant Industry, will be strengthened to conduct a stronger inspection and monitoring of warehouses and agricultural facilities as part of the goal to ensure a stable supply of rice in the market, as well as quality control of rice being sold to consumers.
“We want to avoid a situation where the price of rice shoots up unnecessarily due to smuggling or hoarding. This has long been a problem in the country that should be addressed immediately,” Escudero said.
The new law also empowers the Secretary of Agriculture to respond better to a declaration of rice food shortage or an extraordinary increase in rice prices.
During periods when there is an extraordinary increase in the prices of rice, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to designate importing entities, with the exception of the National Food Authority, to import rice to augment the supply of rice and stabilize prices.
SBN 2779 was sponsored by Senator Cynthia Villar as chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform. It is a consolidation of the bills filed by Senators Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, and Villar.