House urged: Support rice tariffication amendments

MANILA, Philippines —  Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has urged lawmakers to support amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), saying it failed to protect Filipino farmers from the impact of unrestricted rice imports.

While not specifying the amendments, Tiu Laurel told the committee on agriculture of the House of Representatives that the RTL, which liberalized rice imports, had “stripped the National Food Authority (NFA) of the ability to regulate supply, stabilize prices, or intervene in times of crisis,” leaving farmers vulnerable to market forces.

“Rice is more than just a staple,” he said. “It fuels our workforce, sustains our families, and symbolizes food security for over 112 million Filipinos.”

The agriculture chief warned that an influx of cheap imported rice has driven farmgate palay prices to unsustainable levels, falling to as low as P8 per kilo last month. He said this was far below the production cost, even for the most efficient local farmers.

Tiu Laurel dismissed claims by some traders that the government’s P20 per kilo rice program caused the price drop, calling such allegations “absurd and simply untrue.” He cited NFA data showing that palay prices began to recover after President Marcos announced the suspension of rice imports effective Sept. 1, despite the continued rollout of the P20 program.

“The real issue lies in the RTL itself. As currently written, it does not reform the rice industry – it threatens to kill it.”

The DA chief is pushing for smarter regulation, data-driven decision-making, and a stronger role for the NFA, which he said has the logistics and expertise to help balance market forces with public interest.

“We must regain control,” he said. “It is an industry that is imbued with too much public interest to leave to the private sector.”

Tiu Laurel also expressed support for House Bill No. 1, filed by Speaker Martin Romualdez, which seeks to amend the RTL and restore the government’s authority to intervene in the rice industry when necessary.