Members of the Quinta “Murang Pagkain” Super Committee of the House of Representatives expressed concern over the perceived lack of urgency from relevant agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and National Food Authority (NFA), in addressing the issue of high rice prices.
During the fifth hearing of the mega panel on rising rice and food prices on Tuesday, members criticized agency officials for failing to submit a draft of the food security emergency declaration, despite President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announcing over a week ago that he supported such a declaration.
“The declaration of recommendation to declare a food security emergency umiikot na po ‘yung papel,” DA undersecretary Christopher Morales said.
Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo asked, “What else is missing?”
“We’re still waiting for the recommendation from the NPCC (National Price Coordinating Council) for the declaration. Iyung paper po kasi, I think, umiikot nga,” Morales answered.
Committee chairperson Christopher Morales exclaimed, “Oh my God.”
“Sabi nga ni Cong. Stella emergency, papaikutin pa ang papel. ‘Di ba pag may sunog, emergency, magpapaalam pa ba ‘yung mga bumbero sa kanyang mga superior bago siya makaalis sa sitwasyon,” Oriental Mindoro Rep. Arnan Panaligan said.
During Tuesday’s ‘Murang Pagkain’ super committee hearing, NFA administrator Larry Lacson explained that the law prevents his agency from selling rice without a food security emergency declaration.
He added that once the President issues this declaration, the NFA would sell around 300,000 bags of “aging” rice stocks at P29 per kilo, and up to 500,000 bags of “regular” rice stocks at a subsidized price of P38 per kilo.
He stated that the subsidy, which is accounted for as a loss by the NFA, amounts to P10 per kilo. Without this subsidy, the agency would sell the rice at P48 per kilo.
“So, as of now, NFA is doing nothing. Whose fault is that? What did we do? Why did we put ‘emergency’ in the law?” Salceda replied.
Quimbo stated that she believed the proposed NFA-subsidized price of P38 per kilo was still too high. She told the committee that in one barangay in Marikina, two retailers were consistently selling rice at P39 per kilo. When she asked them about it, they explained that they sourced their supply directly from rice millers in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.
“Why can’t the Department of Agriculture do that?” Quimbo asked.
Salceda recalled that during a meeting last month with House members and Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, rice millers and traders from Bulacan had agreed to sell their stocks at P37 per kilo.