Palace open to review of population control program

MANILA, Philippines – Food and population go together such that the government is open to reviewing its population control program in light of a looming rice crisis, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential Management Staff chief Cerge Remonde said the issue of population is tied up with concerns over rice supply.

“This has to go together so I think the government will also be open to review its population programs to make it more effective,” he said.

The issue of population growth has been left out in the discussions on rice supply and distribution, Remonde said.

Churches and parishes are to be used as distribution points for rice from the National Food Authority (NFA).

This is contained in an agreement between Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action, Peace and Justice chairman.

Under the agreement, the government would allocate 50,000 to 60,000 sacks of rice a week to various parishes in Metro Manila for distribution and sale.

The distribution and selling of the NFA rice at P18.25 per kilo would be supervised by Catholic dioceses.

Fr. Mar Castillo, Pabillo’s representative, said rice will initially be distributed in Metro Manila parishes.

It would be expanded to parishes and dioceses in the provinces once the system is proven effective, he added.

Yap told reporters churches and parishes were tapped to streamline the distribution of rice in preparation for the lean months starting July.

“We will have to streamline our operations on the basis of food-poor areas as identified by the Social Welfare Department,” he said.

Yap said the DSWD will coordinate with the CBCP to “clean” the list of beneficiaries of the rice distribution program.

“What is critical here is that the faith-based groups must work together with the LGUs and DSWD to clean up the list of beneficiaries,” he said.

‘Population not linked to rice crisis’

Two Catholic bishops told the government yesterday to stop blaming the current rice shortage on the growing population.

“There is no correlation (between population and rice shortage),” Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez of Marbel, South Cotabato said over Catholic Church-run Radyo Veritas.

“There are many more processes to solve this problem. For one, there is corruption. The money that should have been intended to improve agriculture is being stolen.” 

In a separate interview, Archbishop of San Fernando, Pampanga Paciano Aniceto said: “There is no relation between rice crisis and population. This present crisis is a crisis of management of economy and resources.”

Gutierrez, former chairman of the CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace, said it was wrong for the government to conclude that population growth was among the causes of the rice crisis because big families still enjoy a comfortable standard of living.

“Yung mga sultan maraming anak, si Erap (former President Joseph Estrada) at si (Senator Ramon) Bong Revilla maraming anak (Sultans have many children, Erap and Bong Revilla also have many children). So it does not necessarily follow that a big family would suffer from food crisis,” he said.

Gutierrez said the government should have created a more effective program for sustainable agriculture a long time ago.

“The number one solution is for the government, including the House and the Senate, to be honest and create laws that would support agricultural sector and agrarian reform,” he said.

Aniceto, CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family and Life chairman, said the government should focus on improving programs on agriculture and push for agrarian reform.

“There is a proposal for the parishes to cooperate, and I think the bishops and dioceses are willing to help sell sacks of rice to the people,” he said.

Aniceto asked rice traders not to hoard rice.

“Let us practice patriotism,” he said. “God created rice for everyone and not just for few people.”

BI runs after rice hoarders

Immigration agents have launched a manhunt for Chinese businessmen supposedly hoarding rice in Isabela province.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said yesterday his men would check whether these Chinese were given permits to engage in the business.

“We have received reports that Chinese nationals are in control of rice buying stations in some provinces and have been controlling the rice supply in the country and manipulating its price,” he said.

“If they are tourists going into rice trading, they are definitely in trouble with the law. Tourists are not allowed to do business in the country.”

Libanan said under immigration laws, foreigners can only put up a business if they get an investor’s visa and business permit. – With Edu Punay