SENATOR Cynthia Villar has spoken out against the recent attempt to amend the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).
In the House of Representatives, House Speaker Martin Romualdez wants to amend the law to restore the power of the National Food Authority (NFA) to sell rice.
Recently, Department of Agriculture (DA) Usec. Christopher Morales also urged lawmakers to give NFA the power to import rice under certain conditions. However, the specific conditions were not mentioned.
Villar explains that they removed NFA’s authority after a Senate investigation found that NFA failed to increase rice supply from local production and lower its price in the market.
Instead, she alleges that NFA was involved in corruption, as traders were selling imported rice to the government agencies instead of local producers.
Villar also explains that her law was not based on personal observation but on the findings of the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS).
The senator also criticizes those who criticize the RTL without understanding the law itself.
