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Manila Bulletin devider devider Senator Villar dismisses issues on rice tariffication hurled against her

Senator Villar dismisses issues on rice tariffication hurled against her

Published Mar 7, 2019 03:40 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola Senator Cynthia Villar downplayed the issues relating to the new rice tariffication law that are being hurled against her amid her bid for reelection. Senator Cynthia Villar (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Senator Cynthia Villar
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Villar, who is seeking a second term in Senate in the May midterm polls, believed that the rice tarrification law could not be raised as her "election issue" as she maintained that the measure would benefit local rice farmers. The senator, as chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, authored and sponsored the Senate version of the Republic Act No. 11203, which liberalizes rice importation and exportation in the country. Signed by President Duterte last month, the new law is set to be effective starting March 5 following the release of its implementing guidelines. "Bakit magiging issue sa akin? Ang rice tariffication bibigyan ng buwis ang imported rice para protektahan ang local farmers. At iyong proceeds ng buwis ay ibibigay sa local farmers para sila maging competitive," Villar told reporters in a chance interview Wednesday after the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) campaign sortie for senatorial candidates in Las Piñas. Villar referred to the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), or the annual P10-billion fund for rice farmers. Under the RA 11203, the RCEF will be sourced from the collected import duties pegged at 35 percent for ASEAN member states, and 50 percent for non-ASEAN members. The funds shall be used to help local farmers mechanize, improve their production, provide them skills training through Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), or in the form of credit. Villar vowed to continue her oversight on the disbursement of the RCEF should she be elected anew in the Senate. She likewise assured that affordable rice will still be available while the National Food Authority (NFA) will also be mandated to buy its supplies solely from local farmers. Farmers groups have opposed the rice tarrification law, fearing that it would put local rice industry at a disadvantage. The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), for one, had raised doubts that concerned agencies would not be able to fulfill their mandates under the RA 11203. The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) last Wednesday admitted it could not immediately distribute machineries all over the country.
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