ASOG discusses roll-out of rice tariffication to farmers groups

The Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) delivered its findings on the roll-out of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) before farmers’ cooperatives and associations during the recently concluded National Rice Farmers’ Conference last November 8 and 9 at Maryhill Retreat House, Taytay, Rizal.
 
In his presentation, Mr. Paul Feliciano, economist from ASOG, cited the law’s objectives and intended benefits and provided an assessment of its initial implementation using publicly available data on imported rice volumes and dutiable values from the Bureau of Customs (BoC). In addition, he also made mention of some important issues that arose during the roll-out of the law including the breakdown of the amounts of rice that the country has so far imported and their corresponding country sources, the huge price-cost margins that prevail in the retail market for well-milled rice, the increase in demand for high-quality rice among local traders, and the current revenue collection that would be earmarked for the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
 
The conference also featured lectures and discussions by key persons from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHILMech) on the government’s responses to the issues of RTL; AgriCOOPh about potential models of consolidating cooperative response, and several other farmers’ cooperatives about various topics such as good practices in organic rice farming, marketing, and coop trucking and hauling services, among others.
 

ASOG also sent its message of solidarity with farmers’ groups and cooperatives during the 10th PAKISAMA Congress which was also graced by Senator Risa Hontiveros and representatives from non-governmental and civil service organizations.