THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday briefed the House Committee on Agriculture and Food chaired by Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga regarding the high prices of rice and chicken egg in the local markets.
According to Rep. Enverga, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez called for the briefing so that the House may be apprised on the measures that the agency is taking to address the high prices of said agricultural commodities, after he and Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo personally inspected the prices of basic commodities at a public market in Quezon City last week.
Tulfo said that the price of rice never changed, and the public is still anticipating its decrease, particularly during this holiday season. NFA Director Roderico Bioco told Rep. Tulfo about their recommendation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for local rice outputs to be enhanced through the National Rice Program and for the exploration of other avenues for rice imports.
Philippine Egg Board Association President Francis Uyehara traced the main reason for the chicken egg price increase in the previous months to the bird flu outbreak, which diminish the number of chickens laying eggs.
He reported that chicken egg prices have started to normalize after farmers augmented the egg supply two to three months ago.
Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez urged the agriculture agencies to thoroughly examine and provide to Congress their proposed revisions to Republic Act 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law. Nueva Ecija Rep. Rosanna “Ria” Vergara emphasized the need to augment the budget of the DA in order to adequately assist and resolve the persistent issue of escalating prices of agricultural commodities.
The panel also adopted a resolution urging the House of Representatives and the Philippine Senate to increase the budget of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA) for 2024 to finance water impounding projects that will boost agricultural production in the country.
