Proteksyon sa mga magsasaka sa harap ng panukalang pagbabawas ng taripa sa imported rice, tiniyak;
Presyo ng bigas, inaasahang bababa sa oras na mabawasan ang taripa ayon kay House Speaker Romualdez
Presyo ng bigas, inaasahang bababa sa oras na mabawasan ang taripa ayon kay House Speaker Romualdez
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NewsTranscript
00:00 The House leadership, Department of Finance and Department of Agriculture agreed to lower the tariff on imported rice in the country.
00:10 House Speaker Martin Romualdez assured that the fund will not affect the assistance to farmers.
00:17 Mel Alasmora is live in the Central News.
00:22 House Speaker Martin Romualdez assured that farmers' livelihoods will be taken care of even if the tariff on imported rice is lowered.
00:33 AgriPartylist Representative Wilbert Lee also has a point to make the price and supply of rice more stable.
00:43 House Speaker Martin Romualdez is fully grateful to Finance Secretary Ralph Recto for his support to lower the tariff on imported rice in the country.
00:53 Last week, the House leadership agreed to this with the Department of Finance and Department of Agriculture.
01:02 That's why Romualdez approved Recto's tariff on their discussion.
01:07 From the current 35 percent, the DOF targets to lower the tariff on rice by 17.5 percent, which will further lower the price of rice in the market.
01:19 The Department of Agriculture will study this.
01:23 But until now, the agency said that it expects to lower the price of rice by 4 pesos to 5 pesos per kilo if this is to be implemented.
01:33 Some groups are already worried because local producers might lose out.
01:41 The DA also assures that if the price of rice is lowered, farmers won't be affected because imported rice will be imported every 10 months.
01:52 Speaker Romualdez also said that even if the tariff is lowered, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or RCEF, which is the government's assistance to farmers, will not be affected.
02:04 Since then until now, the government's only goal is to lower the price of food while protecting local farmers and producers.
02:16 AgriPartylist Representative Wilbert Lee, although the government's new plan is supported, he also made a point.
02:25 These are temporary measures. I think we still need to increase local production on time when aid arrives,
02:34 strengthen our post-harvest facilities, increase the post-harvest budget, build our bridges for their market linkages,
02:46 and when aid arrives on time, that's what we should do. That's the long-term solution.
02:53 Now that the rain has started, Lee also insisted that it would be better if there will be a separate government that will focus on the water supply in the country.
03:04 That's the long-term solution, to have a comprehensive plan on how to do this.
03:11 Of course, our short-term plan is what I'm talking about. The Quick Response Fund should be there.
03:18 The Congress has allocated it. The Quick Response Fund should be in place and ready and appropriated.
03:27 And of course, the prepositioning of relief items, food packages, we should not wait for it.
03:34 There will be a storm coming, there will be 13 to 16 storms that will enter our country. We should not wait for it. We should preposition it.
03:44 Angelic, here in the camera, the people who are supporting the lawmakers are doing it in different ways to lower the price of rice in the market.
03:54 Aside from their support for the rise tariff reduction, the leader of the camera is calling for the Senate to pass the RTL amendment bill
04:07 or the Panucal amendment to the Rice Tarification Law, which is also one of the actions of the camera to lower the price of rice in the market.
04:17 Yasmela, how can we be sure that our local farmers will not lose their support for the imported rice?
04:32 Angelic, it's good that you asked. The lawmakers and Speaker Romualdez are saying that the import of rice is controlled.
04:42 Particularly during lean months, it does not coincide with the harvest season of our farmers.
04:48 Of course, in the long run, the priority since the government until now is the country's own products.
04:55 This is their measure so that the imported rice in the country will not decrease or increase.
05:02 The young people are saying that under their oversight function, they will continue to aim for the lower price of rice to be implemented.
05:12 They will aim for it to be regulated properly and of course, the local products in the country should be consumed. Angelic?
05:19 Okay. Thank you very much Yasmela Lesmora.