The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) did not bring down rice prices as promised, former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol said Wednesday.
In fact, Piñol said it drove them higher, while simultaneously killing the livelihoods of Filipino rice farmers by surrendering the country’s rice industry to private importers.
Piñol made the statement in an interview on DZRH News program The Situation Report on September 9, where he reiterated his opposition to the RTL and said events have proven him right.
The former Agriculture chief said he was isolated in the former Duterte administration for opposing the law, describing himself a lone ranger supported only by farmers, while the economic team led by then-Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez convinced President Duterte to sign it with a promise that rice prices would fall by ₱7 per kilo.
“Yung mga magsasaka sabi, ‘Mister President, kung kailangan lumuhod kami sa inyo…’ Pero siyempre naintindihan ko naman si President Duterte that time kasi ang pangako ni Sonny Dominguez, bababa ng 7 pesos per kilo ang presyo ng bigas,” Piñol said.
Rice prices at the time of signing were ₱38 to ₱40 per kilo. Now, they are at ₱60 to ₱70, the opposite of what was promised.
Piñol said the strategy behind the RTL was to flood the market with imported rice, drive out local rice farmers, and then continue the cycle of importation. This is exactly what has happened, he said.
“Ang strategy diyan is bahain ng imported na bigas yung merkado. Mangangayaw yung local rice farmers. ‘Pag nangayaw yung local rice farmers, babahain uli ng imported rice, and that’s happening right now,” Piñol said.
Piñol said the tariff was subsequently cut from 35% to 15%, a double blow that simultaneously eliminated government tariff revenue and destroyed local farmers’ income, with the savings going to importers rather than consumers.
“Pinatay natin yung ating mga magsasaka,” he said.
