Piñol tells Duterte’s economic team to stop deceiving Pinoys: Rice prices didn’t drop by P7 per kilo

Former Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol is pushing for changes to the rice tariffication law (RTL) after the measure only brought hardship to both farmers and consumers.

Piñol, a senatorial bet in the 2022 elections, belied the statement of Agriculture Secretary William Dar that the law has supposedly brought down the market price of rice by as much as P7 per kilo. In some areas, market rice prices are reportedly even higher since the law was implemented.

To show proof, the former Mindanao Development Authority chair posted a video of the current rice prices ranging between P40/per kilo to P70/per kilo when he visited a market in Iloilo. His latest Facebook post was titled “The Camera Never Lies! No P7/Kilo Reduction In Rice Market Prices.”

“In my journey to the countryside to talk to the country’s food producers, I heard only one familiar line from the rice farmers – the Rice Tariffication Law made life difficult for them. Bumagsak ang presyo ng bilihan ng palay from as high as P22 per kilo to as low as P10 in Bicol and Capiz while the prices of fertilizer had doubled adversely affecting their production,” he said.

“On the other hand, the promised reduction of the prices of rice in the market by P7 never happened and this video is the proof,” he added.

Piñol told President Duterte’s economic team to stop duping the people about the price drop and erroneously claiming the country has benefited from the law imposing the rice tariff system in lieu of import quotas.

The law, signed by Duterte in 2019, allows private traders to import rice freely in exchange of 35 percent tariff rate from staple sourced from Southeast Asia. The measure is supposedly intended to bring down domestic rice prices and thereby ensure availability of cheaper supply in the market.

“We have to admit na pumalpak tayo and we have to humble enough to admit our mistakes and let’s correct it,” he said.

“We cannot continue deceiving people and tell them untruthful statements,” he added.

Piñol is dismayed that economic managers were apparently not listening or trying to lift farmers out of poverty. Unlike the economic team, the former agriculture chief has proposed amendments to the rice tariffication law to ease the suffering of the Filipino farmers, adhere to the country’s commitment to international pacts and bring down market prices.

“Nagbibingibingihan na lang at manhid na at nakakalungkot sapagka’t kung magpapatuloy pa ito, apat na taon pa na magdurusa ang ating mga magsasaka,” Piñol said.

“I guess we will just to wait for the results of the national elections on May 9, 2022 to see if there is any hope for a better life for our rice farmers,” he said.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)