Romualdez presides over meeting with rice stakeholders

The Manila Times

Romualdez presides over meeting with rice stakeholders  Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez discusses President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order for a price cap on rice, among others, with Rowena Sadicon, lead convenor of the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM); Orly Manuntag of Grain Retailers Confederation of the Philippines, lawyer Halmen Valdez, PRISM secretary; and Elizabeth Vana, president of Nueva Ecija Rice Millers Association at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.  Also in photo are (from right) Quezon Rep. David "Jajay" Suarez, vice chairman of the Committee on Food and Agriculture; Appropriations Committee Chairman Elizaldy Co, Senior Deputy Majority Leaders Sandro Marcos and Erwin Tulfo and Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairman Mark Enverga.  VIDEO COURTESY OF SFMR MEDIA BUREAU  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net  Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion  Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital  Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  #TheManilaTimes #DailyNews #Romualdez #Stakeholders #Rice

Transcript

00:00 At least, it's 70. How much was it last year?

00:04 - 20. - So we tracked down.

00:07 - Last year, it was 70. - So it's 70.

00:10 Sugar at least is stabilized now.

00:13 You know, at the end of the day, too much...

00:18 A few people are making too much money.

00:21 You can make money, but not money.

00:24 We were late because we were talking to the economic managers and they're doing the budget and all that.

00:30 Inflation rate goes high because of these high prices of commodities.

00:35 When inflation goes up, interest rates go up.

00:38 It affects the whole economy.

00:40 Just because some people are being greedy.

00:44 And are not doing the right thing.

00:47 So if the right to import is being abused, we have to reinitiate that altogether.

00:53 We invest in local rice production.

00:57 Food security is national security.

01:00 That's why the President can invoke national security.

01:03 He can seize all of those imported.

01:06 We follow the President's mandate.

01:08 If he has a target, the President, when he came out with a target, he did the numbers.

01:15 The President is very particular about his data.

01:18 So it's not unrationable.

01:22 That's what we're here for.

01:25 And we're not going to stop.

01:27 So if we find out that people are importing and hoarding and profiteering, we're going to raid.

01:32 And we'll just seize it and give it to the DSWD, to the CADIO, to the DIN.

01:39 For sale at a much, much lower price point.

01:44 When the price comes up with the EO, that's the law now.

01:51 So we have to achieve that.

01:53 We'll be here to help you achieve that.

01:56 We'll teach you how to achieve that by rooting out those who are abusing and not making it possible.

02:01 But that's not non-negotiable.

02:04 When the President came out with that, we'll stick by that.

02:07 And we'll enforce that.

02:10 There's no reason why we cannot achieve what President Marcos Jr. achieved, which is self-sufficiency.

02:15 Which President Marcos Jr. wants to achieve?

02:18 Self-sufficiency, right?

02:20 Let's look at this whole thing as temporary.

02:24 We have to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.

02:28 That's why we will fix up the layout, so irrigation.

02:32 We will fix up all of our inputs.

02:35 But don't tell me just because people are watching Vietnam that that should be the norm.

02:40 That's more of the exception.

02:42 And you guys are all saying, "Oh, Vietnam, Vietnam."

02:45 And you saw what they said. We saw a freaking warehouse full of rotten rice.

02:52 It's like a haunted house.

02:56 Even the customs, they were shocked.

03:00 There's so much rice.

03:02 Boss, just quickly.

03:04 I mean, the Speaker said and indicated that we will not stop.

03:09 They're going to go to Visayas, Mindanao. It's clear that some of these people are part of your group.

03:15 So is there some sort of commitment we can get from you guys to do your part in helping us?

03:20 Yes, we will talk to them definitely.

03:23 And we have been reminding them to be--

03:26 It's going to have to be more than talk.

03:28 If we have to make sure that they're out of the business of smuggling or profiteering or hoarding, we'll get them out.

03:36 Don't try to scare the government that, "Hey, we will all band together and import."

03:42 Those are your respects.

03:44 They can say that, but then the government can take over and do the importing itself and then just break even or even subsidize.

03:51 Because at the end of the day, the people, the 100 million Filipinos, should not be overcharged and go hungry.

03:59 That's what's happening. It's not one time.

04:02 We're ready to spend to make sure.

04:04 [Silence]

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