By Billy Begas
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the decision of the government to purchase palay on higher price has shown the compassion of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. towards local farmers.
“This shows the malasakit our President has towards our farmers who have been working very hard for us to achieve food security. We should always take care of them,” Romualdez said.
“Our farmers have been the ones giving us food on our tables. So, let’s give them the respect that they truly deserve. That is why our President still sits as Agriculture Secretary in a concurrent capacity,” he added.
Romualdez said “the President wants to make sure our local prices are stable, regardless of what happens in the world market.”
The National Food Authority Council, chaired by the President, had set the buying price at P19-P23 per kilo for dry palay and P16-P19 per kilo for wet palay at the farm gate level.
The Speaker has also called for more support to Filipino farmers to enhance their capability to produce rice that will lessen the country’s need to import rice.
“We must prioritize strengthening the resilience and growth of our farmers. This means investing significantly in them by providing them advanced training, the latest technology, and modern infrastructure, all of which can uplift our farming community and make them more competitive with enhanced yields,” Romualdez said.
He also underscored the need to provide accessible financial schemes, such as low-interest loans and grants, that can empower farmers to innovate and scale up their operations and to facilitate direct market access to eliminate middlemen to ensure that farmers receive better prices for their produce.
“Our priority should be our own. Of course, we prefer our local supply compared to imported rice. We should import only those what we need. Self-sufficiency should be key,” he added.
When importing rice becomes necessary, Romualdez said safety nets should be established to protect farmers.
Romualdez also stressed that when supply is sufficient, consumers are assured of affordable rice and farmers are guaranteed a fair and sustainable income.
