ROXAS PRESSES SENATE TO ACT ON RICE SECURITY BILLS

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas pressed today his colleagues in the Senate to act on bills that would ensure short term and long term rice self-sufficiency, amidst a financial crisis that would burden farmers all the more.

"Hindi na tayo pwedeng umasa sa pag-aangkat ng dalawang milyong tonelada ng bigas mula sa ibang bansa. Tulungan natin ang ating mga magsasaka at ang kanilang pamilya kaysa mapunta ang pera nating mga Pilipino sa bulsa ng ibang bansa (We can no longer rely on importing 2 million tons of rice from other countries. Let's help our farmers and their families, instead of letting our money go to the pockets of other nations)," he said.

Roxas has filed Senate Bill No. 2469, or the proposed Immediate Rice Security Act, that establishes a Fertilizer Support Program (FSP) for all farmers that will make use of a "buy-two-take-three" mechanism, where each purchase of two bags of in-kind urea (46% nitrogen) allows a farmer to avail of three additional bags from a Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority-designated distribution center.

SB No. 2468, the proposed Agricultural Renaissance and Food Sufficiency Act, on the other hand, is aimed at ensuring long-term self-sufficiency. The bill is anchored on an accelerated ten-year Agricultural Investment Program for increased research and development (R&D), better irrigation systems and other reforms.

He said the government's plan for the year must take into account an expected increase in rice prices as the effects of the financial crisis are felt in the real economy.

"Medyo humupa ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bigas noong nakaraang taon, pero hindi dapat maging kampante ang gobyerno dahil nagbabadyang bumalik ang food crisis. Nasaan na ang plano ng gobyerno para siguruhing hindi gutom ang mga Pilipino sa gitna ng krisis? (The price of rice softened last year but the government should not let its guard down because the food crisis is threatening a comeback. Where's goveenment's plan to make sure Filipinos do not go hungry during the crisis?)" he said.

"Dapat atupagin pa rin ng gobyerno ang pagtanim at pag-ani ng karagdagang supply sa bansa para sanggain ang masamaing epekto ng financial tsunami. Kahiya-hiya tayo kung hindi natin mapakain ang sarili natin (Government must focus on planting and harvesting enough rice supply in the country to shield it from the worst effects of the financial tsunami. What a shame if we could not feed our own people)," he stressed.

The International Rice Research Institute issued a warning of rice price increases in its latest quarterly journal "Rice Today." Regular rice now costs P30 per kilo, after reaching a high of P38 per kilo in June and July 2008. Roxas said he would still seek, during bicameral talks on the 2009 budget, an increase in agriculture support to farmers, which would be used for fertilizers as well as repair and rehabilitation of 1.4 million hectares of irrigation systems nationwide.

"Sisiguruhin namin sa Senado na ang perang ito ay gagamitin nang wasto, at hindi mapupunta sa bank account ng mga kagaya ni Joc-Joc (We in the Senate will make sure that this money is used properly, and won't go to the bank account of those like former DA Usec. Jocelyn 'Joc-Joc' Bolante)," he said.