House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The House of Representatives took a huge step toward its goal of significantly reducing prices of rice for the sake of poor Filipinos on Tuesday morning, May 7. 

This, after the Committee on Agriculture and Food chaired by Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga approved the substitute bill calling for the amendments to Republic Act (RA) No.11203 or the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL).

Shortly after that same morning, the Committee on Ways and Means also approved the still unnumbered bill by virtue of it being a tariff measure. The ways and means panel is chaired by Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda. 

It was only last week when Speaker Martin Romualdez, the leader of the 300-plus strong House, announced the chamber's intention to expedite the bills for RTL amendments, given that high prices of the staple grain continue to be a burden on Filipinos. 

A key revision to RTL that's being pursued is the restoration of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) power to directly sell relatively cheaper rice to the market. This will pave the way for the return of "NFA rice". 

"As promised by the Speaker, this is a priority, that we will pass an amended RTL...Wherein we will ensure that there will be the presence of NFA to stabilize the price of rice. Para ito nga po (So that this), will be affordable to our countrymen," Enverga told reporters after the committee hearing. 

"Kinakailangan that they should also be there para panlaban din po ng gobyerno sa mga mapagsamantalang mga traders sa merkado," he noted. 

(The NFA must be there to serve as government counterbalance to the abusive traders in the market.) 

READ THIS TOO: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/7/salceda-inflation-rate-management-must-be-focused-on-rice


Enverga says the substitute bill seeks to ensure NFA's presence in the market as a way to temper runaway prices of rice. 

"I think we are still required to go through the Committee on Appropriations. But again, we thank Speaker Martin Romualdez na binibigyan niya talaga ng importansya ito (really giving importance to this)."

For months, Salceda has blamed local rice prices for the spike in inflation rate. April's inflation rate of 3.8 percent, a slight uptick from the previous month's 3.7 percent inflation  rate, was no exception.  

The substitute bill is expected to breeze through second and third reading in the House plenary once it gets endorsed by the committee. 

The second regular session of the ongoing 19th Congress will adjoun sine die on May 22.