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By Sammy Martin, Jason Cruz Luna, Anthony
Vargas, AFP
As the Philippines targets 92 percent
self-sufficiency in rice this year and 98 percent by 2010, House
Speaker Prospero Nograles over the weekend proposed a menu of
legislative and executive measures to address the rising cost and
shrinking supply of rice, the primary staple of most Filipinos, and
fully achieve genuine food security.
The country is one of the world’s biggest
importers of rice and not even increases in local production have
been able to meet the demand of the growing 90-million-strong
population.
In 2007, Manila imported 1.871 million tons of
rice, mostly from Vietnam, with a little from Thailand.
As recommended by the Congressional Planning and
Budget Department (CPBD), Nograles is proposing a five-point action
plan to increase the country’s rice production capacity and
intensify the government’s law enforcement capability to defeat
hoarding and price manipulation.
“The global rice supply crisis presents the
Philippines with both challenges and opportunities. The challenge of
making rice available and affordable to as many Filipinos as
possible brings with it the opportunity to divert our nation’s
attention and resources to what matters most: achieving genuine food
security,” said Nograles.
“Food sufficiency is the highest order of the
day. A country that cannot feed its own people will always be at the
mercy of those countries who can,” he added.
Smuggling and rice hoarding by rice cartels
should be curbed effectively. For this purpose, an Act which rewards
“whistle-blowers” for their aid in the prevention of rice
hoarding—which should now be considered as an act of economic
sabotage and be given heavier penalties—should be passed into law
immediately.
“Let us provide more attractive incentives to
persons who help the authorities fight those who take advantage of
crisis situations which further aggravate the sufferings of the
poorest among our poor,” Nograles said.
Challenges to agricultural productivity,
including inadequate irrigation systems, high post-harvest losses
and high cost of farm inputs, should be addressed, the Speaker said.
Nograles said that the Agriculture and Fisheries
Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997 (Republic Act 8435) was supposed to
address these constraints, but there are notable gaps in rural
infrastructure and research and development.
Congressional oversight or review of AFMA should
be more thorough to guide the bureaucracy through the guideposts of
the legislative mill, he said.
Nograles said there is need to identify new
production areas, not only for rice, but for other major
agricultural crops.
A National Land Use Act would help greatly in
facilitating the proper identification and delineation of lands for
agricultural and other purposes.
The House also needs to monitor the impact of
the Bio-fuels Law particularly on efforts to achieve food security.
The government should encourage the private
sector to build partnerships with farmers and engage in corporate
farming.
“The participation of corporations will bring
modern production technology, access to capital, direct access to
domestic and foreign markets, and professional management expertise.
We are looking at the possible participation of corporations with at
least 1,000 employees in the program,” he explained.
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