MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) vowed to release P4 billion to the Department of Agriculture (DA) as part of the Rice Tariffication Law’s (RTL) Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
DBM Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo made the promise Wednesday at the Senate hearing of the Committee on Agriculture and Food on the P10 billion RCEF allocated to help rice farmers.
“Given that it was released in 2018, technically, wala pang na-release pa for 2019,” Toledo admitted.
Since the DBM already released P5 billion alongside P1 billion for DA’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), Toledo said the agency will have to release another P4 billion to complete the P10 billion RCEF.
“So right now, given the P5 billion released last year, tapos may balance na P1 billion doon sa ACPC, so ang irerelease na lang namin is P4 billion. We will release the P4 billion,” Toledo said.
Toledo made the admission after the DBM was grilled by the committee on agriculture and food chair Senator Cynthia Villar for saying the fund earlier released was already part of the RCEF.
“Sabi niyo sa akin, ayaw niyo na magrelease ng P5 billion ulit. Sabi niyo, itong na-release ngayon na P5 billion, kasi nagrelease kayo ng January ng P5 billion. So ‘yun na yung P10 billion,” Villar said. “So cinaclarify namin, ano bang mangyayari, ang gulo gulo niyo. So iclarify niyo.”
Under the rice tariffication law, farmers will be given P10 billion a year for the next six years under the RCEF, which will be obtained from the collected tariffs, for the strengthening of their productive capacities.
Villar also earlier pressed the DA to ensure the return of the P4-billion budget intended for the RCEF to provide financial help to rice farmers.
“Kahit sabihin pa nila na kaya ginastos iyon dahil hindi pa napapasa ang RCEF, dapat naghintay sila at hindi ginastos sa ibang bagay,” Villar said in a recent statement.
“I want DA to account for the remaining P4 billion and also to make sure that P4 billion will be immediately returned to RCEF,” she added. /je
READ: Villar asks DA to ensure return of P4-billion budget for RCEF