Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO,__ 478

Introduced by
REP. ARLENE D. BROSAS (Gabriela Women’s Party);
REP. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, REP. FERDINAND R. GAITE, and REP. EUFEMIA C, CULLAMAT
(Bayan Muna Partylist); REP. FRANCE L, CASTRO (ACT Teachers’ Partylist);
and REP. SARAH JANE |. ELAGO (Kabataan Partylist)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The local ce industy accounts for around one-fifth of he gross value added of Philippine agriculture, providing
Inelioed for over 2.6 millon households and millions of farmers and workers for postiarm and ancillary
actiities. The signing ofthe rice taification law however presents the single biggest threat to farmers, local rice
production and to consumers as well

Consistent with its policy of intensified impor liberalization in the agricultural sector, President Rodrigo Duterte
Signed on February 14, 2019 Republic Act No, 11203 or more commonly known as the ‘Rice Tarficate Law in
3 stppesed bid to bring down the price of rice and ensure food security. The signing ofthe measure - which wen
certfied as urgent came months after the much publicized “ice shortage” during the third quarter of 2018 This
aiso came onthe heels ofthe aggressive push by the World Trade Organization (WTO) forthe removal of non.

The flooding of imported rice is hurting Filipino farmers, with average farm gate price of palay plunging to P18.20
Ber kilo during the fist week of June 2019 from the P21.08 per kilo last year, or a 14-percent sen snes The


Prilipine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (CAF!) has estimated that Rice Taification Law wil cut local
farmers’ income by as much as P95 bilion in 2019 due fo the influx of cheaper imported rice Despite the huge
decline in farmgate prices, retail prices of rice went down by only around 2 percent. with average price of regular
miled rice at P38 per kilo. The much touted P10-bllon Rice Competitiveness Enhanoement curd (RCEF) is a
sham, as only Pt bilion willbe allocated for farmers in the form of credit facility, farm equipment, and free rice
seeds. Such amount can never offset the massive loss income of local rice farmers,

I's perplexing that upon the enactment of the Republic Act No. 11203, the NFA has intensified its local
oe prement and inventory, which isin total contradiction ofthe polcy ofthe law. The NFA announced that t
has procured more than a milion bags of palay inthe fst quarter, and then after a month, it breached tre three-
milion bag mark. The agency procured 3.073 milion bags of palay or around 153,680 mets tone or the first
four months of 2019. This isa gigantic increase of 437% from its last years procurement at 2,775 metric tons,
1.401% from 2017's 10,287 metric tons, and 173% from 2016's 56,195 metric tons. NEA Administrator Judy
Dansal said in a report that the agency has already procured 6.17 milion bags or 258,519 MT of palay during
the first halfof 2019, surpassing its palay procurement target forthe said period.

Sill, RA 11203 effectively strips the NFA of its regulatory function by repealing Presidential Deoree 4, which is
the basis of its mandate to “ensure national food security and stabilize supply prces of staple cereals both in the

Since the NFA is no longer engaged in the distribution of the cheaper NFA tice to local markets, an estimated 10
milion poor families wich rely on NFA rice are now let with no other option but to buy the move expensive
commercial and imported rice, These families are already victimized by the barrage of pric hikes se forty by the
Tax Reform for Acceleration and Incusion (TRAIN) Law and by the cheap wage Policy of the Duterte
administration. With the law's impact on food spending by poor families, itis expected that more Filipino families
Will experience hunger and poverty while the local rice cartel gets a big boost


In view of the foregoing, the passage ofthis bills eamestly sought.

so
RDINAND R-GAITE c : ers C.CULLAMAT
Bayan Muna Partylist Bayan Muna Partylist Bayfn Muna Partylist

SARAM JANE |. ELAGO
Kabataan} Partylist



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Batasan Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

476
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by
REP. ARLENE D. BROSAS (Gabriela Women’s Party);
REP. CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE, REP. FERDINAND R. GAITE, and REP. EUFEMIA C, CULLAMAT
(Bayan Muna Partylist); REP. FRANCE L. CASTRO (ACT Teachers’ Partylist); and REP. SARAH
JANE |, ELAGO (Kabataan Partylist)

AN ACT REPEALING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11203 OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS THE “RICE TARIFFICATION LAW”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. Republic Act No. 11203 (An Act Liberalizing the Importation, Exportation and Trading of Rice, Lifting
for the Purpose the Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice, and for Other Purposes), otherwise known as the
“Rice Tariffication Law,” is hereby repealed.

Section 2, All laws, jurisprudence, executive orders, executive issuances or letters of instruction, or any part
thereof that are inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed, amended
or modified accordingly.

Section 3, This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a least two
(2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,