📷Former Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite
Former Bayan Muna Congressman Ferdinand Gaite today warned that the Department of Agriculture’s planned declaration of a “food security emergency” should be carefully studied as it may just serve as another pretext for increased rice importation that will further harm local farmers.
“We should be extremely wary of this planned ‘food security emergency.’ Sa ilalim ng Rice Liberalization Law, posibleng gamitin ito para mas padaliin ang importation ng bigas sa halip na tugunan ang tunay na dahilan ng krisis,” Gaite said.
The former legislator emphasized that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the DA are accountable for the worsening rice crisis, which has been exacerbated by unchecked hoarding, rampant smuggling, and failed policies.
“President Marcos Jr.’s empty promise of P20 per kilo rice has only led to a series of band-aid solutions that worsened food inflation. Now they want to declare an emergency that could open the floodgates to more imports. Saan napunta ang pangako ng food security at food self-sufficiency?” Gaite asked.
He stressed that “as the Kilisang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) pointed out genuine solutions lie in supporting local production: “What we need is to repeal the Rice Liberalization Law, restore the NFA’s original mandate to buy from and sell to local farmers, and provide substantial production subsidies. Kailangan din ng matinding aksyon laban sa mga rice cartel at komprehensibong tulong sa mga magsasakang biktima ng natural na kalamidad tulad ng bagyo at tagtuyot at ganun din sa gawang-taong kalamidad tulad ng land conversion at mga export-oriented na plantasyon.”
“The Marcos administration must be held accountable for this crisis. Hindi solusyon ang emergency powers para mag-import. The solution is to strengthen local agriculture and protect our farmers,” Gaite concluded.#
