Press Release
July 26, 2018

Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar on rice tariffication, TRAIN 2, Boracay

Q: On rice tarrification

Villar: Iyong rice tariffication, wala tayong choice doon kasi talagang nag-expire and Quantitative Restriction on importation of rice that was allowed to us by the World Trade Organization. It expired last year. In order to protect the farmers, then we have to do tariffication. Ang problema ng tariffication under ASEAN, 35 % lang ang pwede nating ilagay na tariff. And if you study the cost of producing rice in Vietnam, compared to producing rice in the Philippines, doble dito. So parang kahit lagyan ng 35% tariff, hindi pa rin kayang i-protect ang farmers. So ipinangako sa akin ng DOF, they will give P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund sa farmers, right away upon passage of the law. Nang sa ganoon maturuan natin kasi tinitingnan ko why they are not competitive; because they are not mechanized, and iyong seeds nila maliit ang production per hectare. Kailangang maturuan sila na mag-produce ng seeds that can produce at least 6 metric tons per hectare. Ngayon kasi 4 lang. Iyon lang ang magpapababa ng presyo nila na magiging competitive sila sa Vietnam. This is really forcing our farmers to do things that will make them competitive kasi that is the only way to survice under liberalization.

Q: On TRAIN 2

Villar: Iba iyong TRAIN 2. Iba itong rice tarriffication. Iyong TRAIN 2 sa Ways and Means iyon, kay Se. Sonny Angara. .. Para kasing iyong nangyari sa TRAIN 1, medyo mahirap talaga ang TRAIN 2 kasi iyong perception ng tao sa TRAIN... Parang ito ibababa ang corporate taxes pero babawasan ang mga incentives to industries. We have to look what are these industries that will be affected kasi kung maraming maaapektuhan baka umalis sila sa Pilipinas. Kasi they are here because of the incentives. So we have to study this further. Mahirap kaming magsalita nang hindi namin nakita talaga iyong detalye ng TRAIN 2.

Q: Iyong environmental destruction nag-worsen daw sabi ng Presidente?

Villar: Dito sa aking committee, gagawa kami ng isang batas na tinatawag na Boracay Development Council para i-prescribe na ang pag-manage ng isang place like Boracay should not be managed by the local government alone. It should be a joint committee na national and local plus stakeholders sa Boracay. Hindi pa kami tapos, nasa Technical Working Group. This can serve as a model for other places, other than Boracay. Kasi nakita natin na hindi pwede na iwanan sa local government ang pagma-manage ng isang internationally- acclaimed tourist destination kasi may certain standards talaga ang mga tourist attractions to make them sustainable na hindi nagawa sa Boracay and it cannot happen again. This will serve as a model para lahat ng place na tulad ng Boracay, we have to legislate something like this or we can put in this legislation that all other places like Boracay should be managed by an adminstration that will be a combination of the national government and the local government.

Q: Isa ito sa 3 priority bills ninyo?

Villar: Hindi ito priority, but this is my priority. Ang priority bills ay tarriffication and the coconut levy fund. Wala naman tayong worry sa coconut levy fund kasi it's in the bicam. We will do a bicameral next week . After the bicam, it will be signed by the President.

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