HOUSE Murang Pagkain Supercommittee Co-Chair Joey Sarte Salceda has called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to take decisive action against the spiraling rice prices, stating that “powerlessness won’t do” in the face of market manipulation.
Salceda, who presides over the QuintaComm’s hearings, expressed concern over the DA’s repeated claim of being powerless to stop price abuse in the rice market. He argues that this stance emboldens price manipulators, leading to a “death spiral” of rising prices that disproportionately affects Filipino families.
“We have reviewed the statute books and found several laws that have not been fully repealed, including RA 509, which would grant the DA significant powers if the President declares a ‘rice emergency,'” Salceda stated. He referenced President Quirino’s declaration of a rice emergency in 1948, which effectively curbed widespread hoarding.
Salceda urged the DA to utilize these existing legal frameworks and mobilize them to end the “climate of economic impunity” in the rice market. He also emphasized the need for a multi-pronged approach, including post-clearance inspections of import warehouses and random market inspections, to demonstrate a strong presence and deter further price manipulation.
“We must use all the organs and powers of the state to ensure that there is a sheriff in town,” Salceda concluded, highlighting the urgency of addressing the rice price crisis and protecting Filipino consumers.
metrosundaily
