By Diego Morra
Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel was better known as the admiral of the Frabelle fishing fleet and many thought that his being a great helmsman to such a huge fleet (some say they have more vessels than the Philippine Navy (PN) would necessarily translate to his becoming the best advocate of the farming sector, which comprise about 25% of the working population.
Hope, indeed, springs eternal. Farmers are still waiting for him to take the bull by the horns and forthwith lobby for the scrapping of the despised Rice Liberalization Law (Republic Act NO. 11203) enacted during the unlamented Rodrigo Duterte administration. Franco, as he is known, actually opposed the reduction of tariffs on imported rice and clashed with Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan when he learned about the matter, protesting that he was not consulted about the issue. He did not get mad, insiders said, and took his sweet time in crafting the implementing rules on the tariff cut.
Recently, Laurel also repeated his fear that unlimited rice importations would run farmers to the ground and rice producers agreed. Did it mean that finally, the idea of scrapping RLL was not over his head. Yet, limiting rice importations for several months is not exactly the solution to the continuing rice industry crisis, with the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) arguing that it is a band-aid solution that cannot treat the financial hemorrhage of the farming sector after RLL was enacted.
The DA has also touted the P20 per kilo is a boon to farmers, along with a raft of promised assistance long after the disasters had ruined crops and livestock. KMP said “while it is, indeed, the mandated job of the DA to provide assistance and relief to Filipino farmers, it must be said that the department should not go to town to brag about crumbs and token aid. Farmers deserve dignity, not doleouts. Crumbs are not enough. Farmers demand real, long-term solutions, not token aid.”
“Trabaho talaga ng DA ang tulungan at bigyang-alwan ang kalagayan ng magsaasaka,” KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos explained. “Pero huwag ipagmalaki ang mga mumo at kakarampot na tulong. Huwag ituring na pulubi ang mga magsasakang hikahos na dahil sa krisis.” The P20 per kilo rice is not the solution as it does not tackle the very root of the crisis. Farmers need genuine support like decent palay prices, Ramos stressed. In Bulacan, rice farmers from Malolos and Plaridel are disgusted that apart from inadequate government support, the National Food Authority (NFA) has also failed to buy palay at fair prices. “In several Malolos villages, palay prices range from P7 to P10 per kilo. May nangyari pa na nagdala ng palay sa NFA ang mga magsasaka pero na-reject at hindi binili. Nakatengga ngayon at lugi na ang magsasaka,” Ramos said. “Dito sa konsultasyong magsasaka, napapaiyak na lang ang mga magsasaka sa dinadanas nilang hirap. Tumanda na silang hindi nakakatikim ng makatarungang suporta mula sa gobyerno.”
Ramos rues Tiu-Laurel’s inability to understand the worsening economic conditions of rice farmers. “Hindi alam ni Secretary Tiu-Laurel ang tunay na kalagayan at dinaranas ng mga magbubukid dahil isa siyang malaking negosyante, isang fishing magnate. Hindi siya nagsasaka,” the KMP leader bewailed. Ramos believes that solving the rice crisis requires radical reforms and reversal of current policies, not temporary relief programs. “The government must adhere to implement genuine land reform to empower small rice farmers and stop land conversion. There must be substantial subsidies for local production — including free irrigation, seeds, fertilizer, and mechanization support — not loans that trap farmers in debt,” he argued.
The KMP leader met with farmers in Malolos to hear their complaints, ranging from the demand for the repeal of RA 11203, which has led to depressed farm gate prices, unregulated rice importation and impoverishment of rice farmers. They also called for the strengthening of the NFA and mandating it to procure palay at decent prices, not bargain-bin rates that fail to cover production costs. “Ang kailangan ng mga magsasaka ay suporta sa produksyon, hindi mumo. Dapat itaas ang presyo ng palay at sawatahin ang kartel sa bigas,” Ramos added.
“In November 2023, we had a sincere dialogue with Secretary Laurel. Isang linggo pa lang siya noon sa DA. We presented to him the most urgent demands of farmers, fishers, and productive sectors in agriculture. The demand to junk rice liberalization and increase local production was highlighted in our submitted position paper. We also presented the proposed Rice Industry Development Act (RIDA) that outlines the actual steps on how to strengthen the local rice industry. “Pupunta kami sa DA sa Lunes, sana harapin mo kami Secretary Kiko at uulitin namin sayo ang mga mungkahi at panawagan para sa pagpapaunlad ng lokal na produksyon ng palay at bigas,” Ramos concluded.
