Rice tariffication law beneficial in the long run –Villar

Senator Cynthia Villar said it is still premature to judge the impact of the Rice Tariffication Law as she maintained that the controversial measure will benefit Filipino rice farmers “in the long run.”

“I think it is good for the farmers in the long run,” Villar

When Lacson clarified and pressed Villar on the “present state” of its rollout, Villar continued: “Because we will be distributing machines, we will be distributing seeds, we will be distributing fertilizers, and of course the result of that will come during the harvest season, if we will be better.”

“But I think towards the long run, in two years, they will be better,” she added.

Villar admitted, though, the government has been “delayed” in implementing the mitigating measures placed in the law to help rice farmers compete with imported rice, because of the late passage of the 2019 national budget; and the supposed confusion between the DA and Department of Budget and Management on the use of the P5 billion released ahead of the law’s enactment for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

“So your saying that it’s too early to tell or even talk about lessons learned?” Lacson asked.

Villar responded: “Yes, tingin ko (I think we should give it) two years. Kasi tuturuan pa ng mechanization, bibigyan mo ng makina, tuturuan mo pa mag-maintain, eh, hindi naman nila makukuha ‘yon in one year (Because farmers would still have to be taught about mechanization, they would be given machines, be taught how to maintain them, I doubt if they could learn all that in one year).”

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Terrazole, V. (2019). Rice tariffication law beneficial in the long run –Villar. Manila Bulletin. Retrieved from https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/11/15/rice-tariffication-law-beneficial-in-the-long-run-villar/