(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA, Philippines – The House committee-approved bill seeking to amend Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) will allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to intervene and sell rice at a lower price during emergencies or when prices spike.
In an ambush interview on Tuesday, after the House of Representatives’ committee on agriculture and food approved a substitute bill, Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga said that the bill will allow the presence of NFA so that rice will be affordable to the public.
The approval comes after several hearings conducted by the panel — which is headed by Enverga — on bills seeking changes to the RTL.
“We will ensure that there will be the presence of NFA to stabilize the price of rice. So that it will be affordable to our countrymen. They are also needed to be there so that the government can fight off traders taking advantage of the market situation,” he said.
“Well, in accordance with our bill, the presence of NFA is always there. So, it would depend on NFA — it could be subjective to the situation, it’s looming, they’re always there. So in areas and times where we see problems in the market, they have the power to enter so we can lower the prices,” he added.
When asked to clarify if NFA will now be present any time — which is a turn around from the RTL’s provisions barring NFA from selling rice directly — Enverga said it would depend on what the situation is for each locale.
“Well, actually, the emergency is there. And it’s up to the — the presence of the local price coordinating council is there so in the event that some provinces, some regions would encounter problems, they can trigger the emergency situation where the NFA can come in,” Enverga explained.
“It could be (NFA present without an emergency) but preferably, there should be an emergency. So in the declaration they should be there, it’s important that the local price coordinating council is active as well as the national price coordinating council, as provided for in the Price Act,” he added.
Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo — one of the lawmakers who pushed for the RTL amendments — said that the purpose of the NFA is still to stabilize prices.
“Let me just add to that. The purpose of the NFA here is to stabilize. If the prices of retailers are high, the NFA will enter. So, like right now, there is no emergency, but the way we look at it right now, the committee believes we are in an emergency situation, we’re at P56 (per kilogram) right? We need to bring it down,” he said.
During the committee’s hearing on Tuesday, House Bills (HB) No. 212, 405, 1562, 9030, and 9547 were consolidated to form the still unnumbered substitute bill.
It was Abono party-list Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella who made the motion to consolidate the bills, which was approved by Enverga after it was seconded.
According to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, amending the RTL can result in rice prices going down by P10 to P15 in June if the Rice Tariffication Law is amended.
Romualdez and Tulfo explained that the RTL amendment will allow NFA to directly sell rice to consumers — which was barred when the law was enacted.
The committee approval comes a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to certify as urgent bills that seek to amend the law