MANILA, Philippines — Proposals to reform the Nationwide Meals Authority (NFA) will enable the federal government to purchase palay or rice grains at truthful costs in order that farmers is not going to be shortchanged, whereas additionally capacitating the company to promote low-cost rice, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez mentioned on Monday.
In a press release, Romualdez mentioned that the Home helps the proposed NFA Reform Invoice—a proposal from the Division of Agriculture (DA) to overtake the NFA in order that it will likely be extra aware of requires cheaper rice, whereas making certain that farmers are assisted and that the nation’s meals provide system is safe and secure.
Beneath the proposal, NFA might be empowered to buy palay at truthful farmgate costs and keep a extra strong buffer stocking system. This in flip permits the company to “step in when costs spike as a result of calamities, hoarding or market manipulation.”
READ: NFA orders palay shopping for in areas with low merchants’ costs
“Our farmers are our biggest useful resource. Hindi na dapat pinapayagan ang magsasaka na malugi. Dapat might kakampi sila sa gobyerno. Sa panukalang ito, makakabenta sila ng palay sa presyong makatao,” Romualdez mentioned.
“Rice is life for Filipino households. This measure will assist make sure that no family goes hungry just because rice turns into too costly,” the Speaker confused. “Alam naman nating hindi sapat ang ayuda kung ang presyo ng bigas ay hindi kayang abutin ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Dito papasok ang NFA para magbenta ng bigas sa presyong abot-kaya.”
READ: Home amendments to rice tariff legislation authorized on third studying
The draft invoice, which has been submitted by the DA to the Malacañang for evaluate, would additionally restore NFA’s energy to immediately intervene within the rice market in order that the costs can be extra aggressive and finally, decrease. It would additionally enable the NFA to purchase palay at higher costs whereas sustaining buffer shares to mood value spikes.
Rice business reform
Romualdez mentioned the Home “will instantly act on the proposed invoice as soon as it’s transmitted to Congress” as there’s a sturdy name for reforms within the rice business.
“This proposal speaks to the unity of function amongst members of the Home majority coalition: to prioritize the wants of peculiar Filipinos, particularly the farmers who feed our nation and the shoppers who wrestle with rising meals costs,” he mentioned.
READ: Rep. Enverga assures public of NFA’s restricted position on importation
“The value of rice is excessive, and the most-affected sector is the widespread Filipino household. The excellent news is that the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is doing every thing in its energy to handle this and this NFA revamp invoice is one option to decrease meals costs, empower farmers and shield our shoppers,” he added.
Moreover, Romualdez mentioned the invoice is in step with the present administration’s imaginative and prescient of a “whole-of-government responses to inflation, poverty, and provide chain vulnerabilities.”
“This isn’t simply an NFA reform invoice: it’s a social justice invoice. It places the complete weight of the state behind our farmers and ensures our individuals is not going to be left helpless when costs go up as a result of battle, calamity, or market abuse,” he mentioned.
“Sure, these are reforms for and throughout the NFA to assist each farmers and shoppers. There’s a win-win state of affairs right here, and that is what we are attempting to do in crafting a brand new legislation,” he added.
Within the nineteenth Congress, the Home authorized on third and ultimate studying Home Invoice (HB) No. 10381, which seeks amendments to Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Regulation (RTL), to carry again a few of NFA’s features.
Meals safety emergency
If enacted, the Agriculture Secretary can a meals safety emergency because of the following causes:
- scarcity within the provide of rice
- sustained enhance within the value of rice
- extraordinary enhance within the value of rice
Throughout a meals safety emergency, the NFA can be allowed to intervene and promote rice immediately by buying grains from native farmers, with importation as a final resort.
With the present standing, the NFA needed to look forward to a meals safety emergency declaration that must be signed by all companies contained in the Nationwide Value Coordinating Council earlier than it may well promote cheaper rice.
Nevertheless, the invoice confronted opposition within the Senate, amid fears that giving again a few of NFA’s mandates may result in corruption once more. Senator Cynthia Villar, principal creator of the RTL, is among the a number of senators who’ve warned towards amending R.A. No. 11203 because the legislation particularly barred NFA from importing and promoting rice as a result of rampant corruption within the company.
Home committee on agriculture and meals chairperson and Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga in the meantime assured senators that reinstating a few of NFA’s powers wouldn’t translate into corruption as a result of the company will nonetheless have a restricted position when it comes to importation.
Romualdez in the meantime assured the general public that previous controversies which hounded the NFA will function a information to make sure that there are mechanisms to stop abuse.
“We had a number of classes previously, and we are going to make sure that these shortcomings of the NFA is not going to occur once more. A part of the proposed reforms are transparency and higher administration,” he mentioned.
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“As public servants, it’s our responsibility to make sure that every Filipino has a enough provide of low-cost rice, and that each farmer’s livelihood is protected. Allow us to transfer in unison to achieve this. We is not going to enable politics to get in the way in which of defending the general public. In unity with the Government, we are going to transfer rapidly and decisively to move a measure that helps each ends of the provision chain,” he added. /cb
