RICE TARIFF CUT AND KADIWA DIRECT SALES TO CUT RICE PRICES SUBSTANTIALLY

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday lauded the decision of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. 

Marcos Jr. to cut the tariff for imported rice from 35 percent to just 15 percent.

The Speaker said that the import levy reduction and the direct sale of imported rice by the government through its Kadiwa centers should bring down the retail price of rice substantially, especially for consumers.

He added that the effort to reduce rice prices is consistent with the Marcos administration’s goal of making the staple available and affordable.

He said rice farmers should not worry about the assistance they receive from government, which are funded from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund set up under Republic Act No. 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law.

He added that official data showed that as of last month, the fund had accumulated P16 billion import tariff collections.

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This is Terence Mordeno Grana, reporting for AFP Community News, One AFP for Stronger Philippines.