Hamon ni Romualdez sa gov’t agencies, pribadong sektor: Tulungan si PBBM na agad mapababa presyo ng bigas 

Nanawagan si Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno at pribadong sektor na makiisa sa whole-of-nation approach upang agad na mapababa ang presyo ng bigas.

Ginawa ni Speaker Romualdez ang apela sa isinagawang pagpupulong kasama ang Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), at Bureau of Customs (BOC) na ginanap sa Makati Golf and Country Club sa Makati City nitong Huwebes.

Dumalo rin sa pagpupulong ang mga kinatawan ng SM Supermarkets at Puregold Stores, na kabilang sa mga pangunahing retailer ng bigas at iba pang pangunahing bilihin sa bansa.

“The President is doing everything in his power to bring down the price of rice and make them available to millions of Filipinos in all parts of the country. It is now our obligation to work together and adopt a whole-of-nation approach to make this possible,” sabi ni Speaker Romualdez.

“Our general direction: Quality, affordable rice, always,” dagdag pa ng lider ng Kamara na mayroong mahigit 300 kinatawan.

Ipinunto ni Speaker Romualdez na bagamat mayroon ng mabibiling bigas sa halagang P29 kada kilo sa mga Kadiwa store, ito ay limitado lamang.

“What we envision is not only to make affordable rice available in Kadiwa Centers, but make quality affordable rice to the general public. In all markets, in all parts of the country, all the time,” sabi pa ng lider ng Kamara.

Ipinaliwanag ni Speaker Romualdez na ang administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos, katuwang ang Kongreso ay gumagawa ng mga hakbang upang mapababa ang presyo ng bigas at iba pang pangunahing bilihin.

“The reduction in tariff for rice is just one of the approaches. The expansion of Kadiwa stores is another. We are hopeful that the Senate will approve their version of the amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law which was passed by the House of Representatives last month,” sabi pa nito.

Pinawi rin ni Speaker Romualdez na malulugi ang mga lokal na magsasaka kapag dumami ang suplay ng imported na bigas sa bansa dahil sa pagbaba ng taripang ipinapataw dito.

“There is nothing to fear about massive importation. Our priority is still locally-produced rice. We only resort to importation only to offset our shortfall in rice production,” sabi pa nito.

“We are only reducing tariffs to absorb price shocks in the world market and free-fall in foreign exchange. This is just stop-gap measure and our goal is still rice sufficiency and affordability,” dagdag pa ng opisyal.

Tiniyak din ni Speaker Romualdez na magpapatuloy ang pagbibigay ng ayuda sa mga lokal na magsasaka sa kabila ng pagbaba ng taripa sa imported na bigas.

“Just from January to May this year alone, the Bureau of Customs had already collected  21.6 billion earmarked for subsidy to rice farmers. Government has enough resources to continue the subsidies, and Congress is ready to provide more funds if still needed,” wika pa nito.

Dumalo sa pagpupulong na ipinatawag ni Speaker Romualdez sina DA Undersecretary Christopher Morales, DTI Assistant Secretart Agaton Uvero, at BOC Deputy Commissioners Vener Baquiran at Clarence Dizon.

Kasama naman ni Speaker Romualdez sa pagpupulong sina House Appropriations Committee Chairman Zaldy Co ng Ako Bicol Partylist, Agriculture Committee Chairman Mark Enverga ng Quezon, at Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo ng ACT-CIS Partylist.

Dumalo rin sina SM Prime President Jeffrey Lim at Puregold President Vincent Co. (END)

MULA SA KAMARA DE REPRESENTANTES, TERENCE MORDENO GRANA, NAG-UULAT PARA SA ARMED FORCE RADIO, BOSES NG KAWAK PILIPINO This is Terence Mordeno Grana, reporting for AFP Community News, One AFP for Stronger Philippines.