Aired (March 8, 2025): Hindi mawawala sa hapag-kainan ng bawat Pilipino ang kanin, pero paano kung ang nabili mong bigas ay luma at hindi na ligtas kainin?
Isang bagong modus ang nadiskubre kamakailan kung saan tone-toneladang murang imported na bigas ang pinaghahalo at nire-repack bilang freshly harvested Philippine rice.
Isang bagong modus ang nadiskubre kamakailan kung saan tone-toneladang murang imported na bigas ang pinaghahalo at nire-repack bilang freshly harvested Philippine rice.
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00:00Rice is life.
00:05We often hear that here in our country.
00:13But what if the rice you buy in the market
00:18is mixed and added with perfume?
00:31It's dangerous.
00:34We don't know if it's safe for humans to eat or if it's only for pigs.
00:39The farmers are the ones who are most affected by this.
00:48They are the ones who are farming.
00:52But why are they the ones who have nothing to eat?
01:01Fresh, fragrant, and clean.
01:07Is this the kind of rice you're looking for?
01:11But are you sure it's safe to eat?
01:17A modus was discovered by the National Bureau of Investigation or NBI.
01:22Because the rice they import is so cheap,
01:29it's being repackaged to be sold at a higher price.
01:36Good morning.
01:39This morning, we are implementing a search warrant
01:44in violation of RE 1 2022.
01:48Our subject warehouse contains imported rice products.
01:53Upon verification, there is no phytosanitary import clearance
01:58from the Bureau of Land Industry.
02:02We assume that they want to hold their imported rice products
02:08for future sales.
02:18We are on our way to Marilao, Bulacan.
02:21According to the agent of the case in the briefing,
02:25there are imported rice products that are being hoarded by a company.
02:33Under the visa of a search warrant,
02:37they will enter the huge rice warehouse in Marilao, Bulacan.
02:48When we arrived at the warehouse,
02:51we were greeted by a mountain of bags of imported rice.
02:58We also noticed that the repackaging is still ongoing at the warehouse.
03:10The cheap imported rice is being transferred to the other warehouse.
03:15This is to be sold at a higher price.
03:26Look at that.
03:28It's so small.
03:30It's so small.
03:32They are mixing it.
03:34You can't buy this.
03:36But when they mix it,
03:38they make it look good.
03:41The quality is good.
03:45You won't be able to think of this from other bags.
03:50They are remilling and mixing it.
03:57They don't have phytosanitary and sanitary import clearance from the Bureau of Land Industry.
04:05Is that a requirement for anyone who will import rice from other countries?
04:10Yes, that's a requirement.
04:11It ensures that the products from other countries are safe for human consumption.
04:21It also ensures that the pesticides are not spread to our agricultural products here in the Philippines.
04:28But they have a permit, right?
04:30As dry storage.
04:32Is there a possibility that this is an indication of hoarding or for validation in the NDI?
04:39Sir, yes.
04:41We will still validate it.
04:43But there is a high possibility of hoarding.
04:51We tried to get hold of the owner of the rice.
04:55But they refused to face the camera.
04:59The rice that the NDI brought to this warehouse in Bulacan,
05:04in their price range, it can reach 80,000 to 100,000 sacks in this warehouse.
05:11What is certain is that with this amount,
05:15the loss is not only for those who will buy this type of rice,
05:21but especially for our farmers.
05:25In another warehouse in Bulacan,
05:28the NDI also discovered mountains of sacks of imported rice.
05:34It is no longer freshly milled as promised
05:38because of the high amount of dust and dust in the sacks.
05:43And what's worse, the rice is put in a dehumidifier to make it smell good.
05:49It's dangerous.
05:50We don't know if it's for people's safety or just for pigs.
05:55Like the Naridna Warehouse in Manila,
05:58thousands of sacks of cheap rice were imported
06:02and packaged to be sold at a higher price.
06:06They mixed the variety of rice,
06:10then put a little bit of pandan to make it smell good.
06:14Then they will pass it on to the farmers.
06:16They will pass it on as class A rice.
06:20Our farmers are being deceived.
06:23They said you mixed it up.
06:25They said you just cleaned it.
06:27No, I didn't.
06:29Sir, I told you, I was talking to my phone.
06:32He didn't answer.
06:34We tried to get hold of the owner of the rice in Bukawe,
06:38but we couldn't get hold of their number.
06:41They didn't answer our calls either.
06:44They also didn't answer our messages on their Facebook page.
06:54The biggest threat to this type of modus operandi
06:59are the small farmers.
07:06Nueva Ecija is the country's rice gallery.
07:11In 2024,
07:13almost 10% of the rice produced in the Philippines
07:17came from the province.
07:23Eusebio Armavit has been farming here for almost three decades.
07:28He is the president of the Inigators Association in their district.
07:33How did you start farming?
07:37When did you start?
07:38Sir, I started in 1995.
07:41And with God's mercy, we are still strong.
07:46And we continue to farm.
07:49Because this is where we get our income
07:53for our children's education.
07:57The machinery provided by the Department of Agriculture
08:01is under his care.
08:04They say this is a big help to farmers like him.
08:09We now have farm mechanization
08:13that allows us to harvest rice faster.
08:16We can harvest rice in the time of calamity.
08:19In one or two days,
08:22we can harvest a large hectare of rice.
08:25That's all.
08:27Even though their farming has become easier,
08:30they are suffering
08:32from the effects of imported rice entering the country.
08:37We have to admit,
08:39this is a huge downfall
08:41to our farmers' products.
08:44I hope that when this time comes,
08:47when the harvest season comes,
08:50I hope that we will no longer be forced
08:52to import rice.
08:54And we should know
08:56if our country should import rice.
09:00The price of local rice in the country
09:03ranges from Php 38 to Php 60 per kilo.
09:07But imported rice
09:09ranges from Php 36 to Php 58 per kilo.
09:17That is why
09:18they are forced to lower
09:21the price of their local rice.
09:26Eusebio owes
09:28to small farmers.
09:31One of them is Rainier.
09:37After three months,
09:40this is the day
09:42that he has been waiting for.
09:45This is the day
09:47that he has been waiting for.
09:49The harvest season.
09:53Sir, how do you feel?
09:55This is the harvest season.
09:57I'm a bit sad.
09:59Why?
10:01The price of local rice
10:03has been low
10:05for a long time.
10:07I've been waiting for three months.
10:09The price of local rice
10:11has been low.
10:15He has inherited
10:17from his grandfather
10:19one and a half hectare of land.
10:21The cost of growing local rice
10:23is not a joke.
10:25One hectare
10:27costs Php 60,000.
10:30Okay.
10:32So at Php 1.5,
10:34it will cost Php 100,000?
10:36Yes.
10:38Even if you buy it from the harvester
10:40it will cost Php 100,000.
10:41Sir,
10:43here in your farm,
10:45how much will be the price
10:47and when will you sell it?
10:49I will sell it at Php 17,000.
10:51Php 17,000.
10:53Php 17,000.
10:55We will sell it at Php 17,000.
10:57This is his lowest price
10:59of local rice.
11:01He would have sold it
11:03at a higher price
11:05if the rice was dried.
11:06But because
11:08it is not allowed
11:10to sell local rice
11:12on the roads
11:14and it does not have
11:16a facility to dry it,
11:18he has to sell
11:20the new local rice
11:22at a low price
11:24so that it will not be damaged.
11:26How big is the effect
11:28of the low price?
11:30It hurts my heart.
11:32I can't do anything
11:34and the price of local rice
11:36is too high.
11:40Rainier's harvester
11:42was just bought
11:44by him.
11:46That is why he is hoping
11:48that his rice will be good.
11:50How much is the price?
11:52The price is Php 187,000.
11:54Yes.
11:56If I calculate it
11:58in average of Php 57,000
12:00it will be Php 2,659.
12:02The total cost is
12:04Php 181,203.
12:06Php 181,203.
12:08The total cost is Php 181,203.
12:10The total cost is Php 181,203.
12:12The total cost is Php 181,203.
12:14It is good to think
12:16that Rainier will be able
12:18to get this price.
12:22But because
12:24he still has a lot to do
12:26including
12:28his debts
12:30in farming.
12:32It is too small
12:34for him to go home.
12:36I will wait
12:38for 20 minutes.
12:40How much will you be left with?
12:43Maybe
12:45Php 161,000.
12:49Php 161,000.
12:51Php 162,000.
12:53Php 162,000.
12:55Php 162,000.
12:57Php 162,000.
12:59Php 162,000.
13:01Php 162,000.
13:03Php 162,000.
13:04I will just put
13:06Php 30,000 per hectare.
13:08Php 30,000 per hectare.
13:10Php 30,000 per hectare.
13:12Is it big or small?
13:14It's small.
13:16We will wait for 3 months.
13:18His help is very helpful.
13:23Php 30,000
13:25for more than
13:273 months of farming.
13:30So, you are in debt again?
13:32Yes.
13:34I am in debt.
13:36I am in debt.
13:38If the price of rice increases,
13:40I will be able to pay it.
13:42I will be able to save money.
13:44Is it better for you?
13:46Yes.
13:53The government favors us
13:55not the farmers.
13:57They favor the farmers a lot.
14:00They force the farmers
14:02to harvest rice.
14:05It's bad for our rice
14:07if they don't import rice from India.
14:09Our rice is bought
14:11here in Nueva Ecija.
14:13It's bought here.
14:15Our rice is cheap
14:17because of the government.
14:19But if they don't do that
14:21and they import rice
14:23from other countries,
14:25the price of our rice
14:27in Nueva Ecija will increase.
14:35Despite their hard work,
14:37the farmers
14:39are still the poorest
14:41sector in the country.
14:43First,
14:45they don't have capital.
14:47When they farm,
14:49they depend
14:51on informal lenders,
14:53like 5-6.
14:55After harvest,
14:57they have a lot of money
14:59but
15:01they don't have
15:02enough money
15:04to pay
15:06their debts.
15:08Others
15:10depend on
15:12the education
15:14of their children.
15:16And because
15:18the farmers don't have
15:20enough support,
15:22they don't have enough
15:24or sufficient
15:26for the needs
15:28of the country.
15:30That's why
15:32they don't have enough.
15:34But the problem
15:36is that importation
15:38is out of control.
15:40There are smugglers
15:42that you've seen
15:44in raids
15:46that have been
15:48going on for a long time.
15:50So,
15:52it's hard for the Philippines
15:54to be self-sufficient
15:56for many reasons.
15:58First,
16:00small landholding.
16:02Second,
16:04calamities,
16:06diseases,
16:08and
16:10policy.
16:12The problem is
16:14that usually,
16:16the traders
16:18when they hear
16:20that there's an importation,
16:22they will lower the price
16:24because they are poor.
16:33We are now here
16:35in a market in Queso City
16:37because we heard that
16:39apart from the farmers,
16:41even the rice sellers
16:43are going bankrupt.
16:45What kind of rice is this?
16:47It's imported.
16:49Ah, imported.
16:51Okay.
16:53But for the locals,
16:55what's the cheapest
16:57and highest price?
16:59For the locals?
17:00Forty-three.
17:02Okay.
17:04Forty-three.
17:06It goes up
17:08to fifty-seven.
17:10Ah, this is really expensive.
17:13In February 2023,
17:15the local whale-milled rice
17:17became cheaper
17:19at the price of
17:21thirty-seven to forty-five pesos
17:23per kilo.
17:25In 2024,
17:27it went up
17:28to fifty-eight pesos
17:30per kilo.
17:32In 2025,
17:34it will go down
17:36to forty to fifty-three pesos
17:38per kilo.
17:40The price of the local
17:42imported rice
17:44is not far off.
17:46But in this store,
17:48the cheapest rice
17:50is imported.
17:52Sir, where do you sell
17:54imported rice?
17:56Which one is the cheapest?
17:58Why is it cheap, sir?
18:00It's cheap because
18:02it's broken.
18:07In February,
18:09the Department of Agriculture
18:11declared a food security
18:13emergency on rice.
18:15Its aim is to lower
18:17the price of rice
18:19in the market.
18:21Well, first and foremost,
18:23the key factor that has led us
18:25to declare that emergency
18:26is that even if we have
18:28already become favorable
18:30or favorable
18:32in the circumstances,
18:34especially with the
18:36reduction of the tariff
18:38and of course,
18:40the price of rice
18:42is not going down
18:44worldwide.
18:46The price of rice
18:48is not going down
18:50by ten pesos.
18:52It's taking the market
18:54so long to adjust
18:56the price of rice.
18:58In this rice crisis,
19:00it's not just the smugglers
19:02and hoarders
19:04who are the enemies
19:06of the farmers.
19:08We can see that
19:10the amount of water
19:12is increasing
19:14in the fields
19:16and the rice fields.
19:27We used to import
19:29very little rice
19:31compared to now.
19:33According to the Department
19:35of Agriculture,
19:37the rice imported
19:39in 2013 was
19:41only 638,000 tons.
19:43It increased
19:45to 4.68 million metric tons
19:47last year.
19:51The Philippines
19:53is now one of the
19:54top importers
19:56of rice.
19:58As of now,
20:00our rice sufficiency
20:02is not able
20:04to meet the needs
20:06because based on the
20:08records that we have
20:10for 2023 and 2024,
20:12our production is only
20:1419 million metric tons
20:16that would be converted
20:18to around 12 to 13
20:20million metric tons
20:22of milled rice.
20:24Based on PSA
20:26and government records,
20:28we need around
20:3016 million metric tons.
20:32We need around
20:343.5 to 4 million
20:36metric tons
20:38to meet the needs
20:40of our country.
20:42Due to various reasons,
20:44our farmers'
20:46ability to meet
20:48the needs of the country
20:50is declining.
20:54Calamity is one
20:56of the reasons
20:58why local farmers'
21:00production is declining
21:02and why they need
21:04to import rice
21:06from other countries.
21:08Due to the Pipito
21:10storm that hit Nueva Ecija
21:12in 2024,
21:14its dam was destroyed
21:16in Aliaga.
21:18As a result,
21:20the hectare of rice
21:22was destroyed.
21:25This is the result
21:27of the dam being destroyed
21:29by the flood
21:31that hit the Pipito storm.
21:34As you can see,
21:36this dam was destroyed
21:38due to the flood
21:40of more than
21:42100 hectares of rice.
21:47The dam is still destroyed
21:49until now.
21:51This part of the rice
21:52is still submerged
21:54in water.
21:56The dam was saved
21:58when the storm
22:00hit.
22:02That's why it was able
22:04to survive.
22:06What effect
22:08did this have
22:10on your rice?
22:12It didn't go up.
22:14It was a storm.
22:16It's not good
22:18for the rice
22:20when it's stormy.
22:22The rice is still submerged
22:24but most of it
22:26is gone.
22:28It's gone.
22:30It's a lot.
22:32How can we harvest it?
22:34Just one bottle.
22:36Father Camillo
22:38is now planning
22:40to harvest
22:424 hectares of rice.
22:44Sir,
22:46will you be able
22:48to harvest
22:504 hectares?
22:52I don't know.
22:54I'll just feed
22:56my baby
22:58because
23:00it's not good
23:02for the rice.
23:04The submerged rice
23:06cannot be bought
23:08in the market.
23:10The rice there
23:12is rotten.
23:14What do you mean?
23:16It's rotten.
23:18Can you still eat it?
23:20Yes,
23:22but
23:24if it's eaten,
23:26it's still rice.
23:28But
23:30we can't find
23:32a good one
23:34because
23:36it tastes like
23:38water.
23:40So it's hard
23:42to sell it at a high price?
23:44Yes, you can't buy it at a high price.
23:46You can buy it
23:48from farmers
23:50to feed their babies.
23:52It's not human.
23:54Because of the many problems
23:56that our farmers are facing,
23:58the government says
24:00there is support
24:02but it's not enough
24:04to solve the problems.
24:06But now,
24:08we're seeing a promise
24:10with the certain varieties
24:12that we are developing
24:14that we can give
24:16to the farmers
24:18so that it will increase.
24:20At the same time,
24:22we are giving support
24:24to our farmers
24:26so that the yield will increase
24:28and decrease
24:30if we can't remove
24:32our dependence on importation.
24:34The field rice
24:36and UPLB
24:38are helping
24:40to research
24:42agricultural innovations
24:44to help our farmers.
24:47But the problem is
24:49that ordinary farmers
24:50are not ready
24:52and they lack capital.
24:57For now,
24:59the farmers
25:01will wait
25:03to see what they will get
25:05from their land.
25:07This is more than just talking about rice.
25:10It's about it
25:12for our future.
25:16It's not just for farmers
25:18who are concerned
25:20about security
25:22when it comes to food,
25:24but also for farmers
25:26who are concerned
25:28about their children
25:30who are concerned
25:32about their health.
25:33It's not just about food,
25:35but also about the decisions
25:37of the government.
25:43And as long as
25:45the illegal activities
25:47of some intermediaries
25:49are not stopped,
25:51our farmers
25:53will be more depressed.
26:03From Nueva Ecija,
26:05I am John Consulda
26:07and this is Eyewitness.
26:33Thank you very much
26:35for tuning in to Eyewitness.
26:37What can you say
26:39about this documentary?
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