By Shannia Cabuello
Bulatlat.com

MANILA —  Rice farmers and farm workers from Laguna, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija collectively stressed in a press conference that the P197 billion ($3.3 billion) on flood control funds could have subsidized the agricultural sector, granting their call for a P20 (less than $1) per kilo palay floor and higher cost price, direct farmer procurement of National Food Authority (NFA), and efficient farm machineries and facilities. Moreover, farmers said that it could also have alleviated the loss caused by the Rice Liberalization Law. 

“Only if the missing P197 billion ($3.3 billion) flood control project funds every year were realigned for funding the local farmers, 6.27 million metric ton of palay can be produced and 84,022 small-scale and 42,011 large-scale driers for post-harvest can be distributed,” Nueva Ecija rice farmer Crisostomo Marzan emphasized.

Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano of Kilusan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (KMP) added that misused flood control funds should have produced 12-13 million sacks of rice, benefiting millions of Filipino farmers and families. He also criticized the Rice Liberalization Law saying that it only intensified the rice crisis and burdened the rice farmers.

‘Palay procurement not enough for the loss caused by RTL’

On Oct. 7, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced the extension of the rice importation ban until the end of 2025. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. added that the President is also considering the restoration of the 35 percent rice tariff, which he reduced to 15 percent in July 2024 for lower retail prices. 

The Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) said that the average cost of palay production is P14 ($0.24) per kilo. As a result, the National Food Authority Administrator (NFA) Larry Lacson said that at a minimum price of P17 ($0.29) per kilo, NFA is planning to procure 4 million 50 kilo bags of palay, serving over 40,000 farmers.

“There is no future for us. A farmer parent like me cannot afford my child’s education due to low palay prices,” Marzan shared in the press conference.

Mariano noted that the promises of economic managers in lowering prices of rice to P6-7 ($0.10-0.12) pesos once the Rice Liberalization Law was enacted did not happen. “Six years had passed, yet the local production did not increase and only resulted in an excess of imported rice,” Mariano added. 

Laurel stated that the Philippines’ rice imports had reached 3.5 million metric tons as of the end of September, exceeding 800,000 metric tons more than needed. With this influx, the DA has imposed a rice importation ban and has recently extended it up to the end of this year. 

In contrast, Mariano argued that there are still rice imports in September and there will also be in October as importers have already advanced their shipment, ensuring profit amidst the ban on rice importation.  

According to the Department of Agriculture, imported rice that was shipped before the ban can still enter the ports of Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro until Sept. 15 only. Rice imports beyond August 31 will be prohibited and returned to their original country. 

‘Grant labor cost and machineries’

More than increasing the floor price of palay, farmers also called for better livelihood which includes granting of labor cost and machineries. 

Liga ng Manggagawang Bukid President Rey Rodriguez stated that there are no government projects supporting farm laborers, emphasizing that this may be due to the failure to recognize the two faces of the agricultural sector: land-owning farmers, and laborers who do the pre-harvest farming. He added that only land-owning farmers are included in subsidies.

Rodriguez shared that they budget P300 ($5.17) salary for more than a week, then survive months without paid farm work through fishing and vegetable farming. He called on the government to provide working farming equipment which can minimize their labor. 

‘Rice liberalization law, not a game changer’

UMANE (Utak ng Magsasakang Novo Ecijano) Chairperson Rodolfo Undan opposes the former Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s statement calling the Rice Liberalization Law a “game changer.” He said that the idea was only for businessmen, seed growers, and fertilizer dealers.

Undan lamented that farmers are not asking for too much and only dreams of 4M’s – “masaya, masagana, at milyonaryo ang magsasaka.” He said that secured irrigation for farmers can already make them millionaires, eliminating insurgencies unwelcomed by the government.

Mariano added that enough farm land in the country exists, only water for irrigation and higher palay price will be enough than subsidies.

“Farmers will never become millionaires as long as there is Rice Liberalization Law,” Bantay Bigas Spokesperson Cathy Estavillio insisted, calling it a long-term disaster. She said that  Marcos Jr. is responsible for allowing it and offering only a temporary remedy. 

“What benefit can the grass give when the horses are already dead?” Ramon Sabacan quoted, stating that the P7,000 ($120.64) subsidy is a band-aid solution that only aims to cover incompetence. Moreover, he declared that the government uses inaccurate data for policies such as the PSA data of P14 ($0.24) per kilo of rice production.

Nueva Ecija rice farmer Rudy Bernardo stated that nature-inflicted calamities are easier to welcome than “government-inflicted” calamities. Sabacan added that man-made calamities include pressuring farmers into having no choice but to sell their land. 

‘Rice Industry Development Act now‘

Estavillio further asserted that a P7,000 subsidy for farmers, the emergency procurement, and extended banning of rice importation will not result in an increase of palay price. Bantay Bigas along with the farmers demanded for the passage of the House Bill 578 or the Rice Industry Development Act, ensuring self-sufficiency and boosting productivity for the rice industry. 

The House Bill 578 also calls for a three-year budget of P495 billion ($8,534,775,150) which guarantees industry the production subsidy, socialized credit, irrigation credit, post harvest facilities, research and development funding, and National Food Authority funds. The passage of the bill will aid in the inflating expenses of the rice farmers. 

Guimba farmer Alfonso Cardon left his farm duties to join the conference. To be easily understood by the Ilocano president, he said in Ilocano, “Do not neglect the farmers. Take care of them because they are the people producing food, not the people in government offices.”

Narcing Manalad emphasized that the government may not hear their calls, but the Filipinos should. As farm lands are being advertised to foreign investors, he emphasized the importance of land as it is life. “The land is ours, not to foreigners. Repeal the Rice Liberalization Law as it kills Filipino farmers,” he asserted. 

Marzan further emphasized the call for a more grounded research, stating that the P14 for production cost is outdated as it already tripled since 2023. 

“Nueva Ecija is considered to be the Rice Granary of the Philippines, yet no government official visited our place to learn about our actual condition,” he added.

Estavillo concluded that protests will continue especially on the World Hunger Day, October 21, as groups of rice farmers and workers hold the government accountable for negligence which results in rising hunger, and rampant corruption. The groups will also demand for the repeal of the Rice Liberalization and enactment of the Rice Industry Development Act. (AMU, RVO)