IN line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s program, reelected Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, the Speaker of the recently concluded 19th Congress, opened the 20th Congress with the filing of House Bill (HB) No. 1, a landmark measure aimed at reforming the National Food Authority (NFA) to help bring down rice prices, stabilize supply, and strengthen support for Filipino farmers.
The bill, officially titled the “Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act,” marks the first legislative proposal filed in the new Congress, underscoring its priority status by amending the Rice Tariffication Law and restore the regulatory powers of the NFA to intervene in the rice market and prevent hoarding, profiteering, and price manipulation.
“Rice is life, and it is the soul of every Filipino family’s dining table. That is why this bill is the very first we filed in the 20th Congress. It reflects our singular focus on the daily struggle of every Filipino family to put affordable food on the table, and the need to reward our farmers with fair prices for their hard work,” said Romualdez.
He declared that this measure is in line with President Marcos’ Bagong Pilipinas campaign and his desire to bring down the price of rice to its lowest levels without being disadvantageous to rice farmers.
The measure is co-authored by Tingog Party-list Reps. Andrew Julian Romualdez and Jude Acidre.
Under the RICE Act, the NFA will regain authority to register and license grain warehouses, conduct inspections, and monitor the rice trade.
It will also have the power to seize hoarded rice stocks and release them to the public to counteract artificial shortages or price spikes.
“Hindi na puwedeng patuloy na ginagamit ang krisis sa pagkain bilang oportunidad para kumita ang iilan. Dapat may kakampi ang konsyumer sa gobyerno, at dapat din may kakampi ang magsasaka. Through this bill, we restore that balance,” the Leyte House leader stressed.
The proposed law also mandates the NFA to maintain buffer stocks sourced from local palay, and authorizes it to set and enforce a floor price for palay purchases.
This means farmers can sell their harvest at fair and stable prices, while consumers benefit from a more reliable and affordable rice supply.
“We cannot fight hunger without confronting price manipulation. This bill is not about going backwards to failed models. It is about smarter regulation that meets today’s challenges like climate shocks, global price volatility and local production gaps,” Rep. Martin Romualdez explains.
Rep. Martin Romualdez emphasized that the measure preserves the liberalized rice import regime under the Rice Tariffication Law but adds essential safeguards.
The goal, he said, is not to restrict trade but to empower state intervention when the public interest is at stake.
“Kapag bumabagsak ang presyo ng palay at lugi ang mga magsasaka, dapat may kakayahan ang NFA na bumili sa presyong makatao. At kapag sumisirit ang presyo ng bigas sa palengke, may mandato ang NFA na ibsan ang pasanin ng mamamayan,” he noted.
The measure is a collaboration of the House of Representatives during Rep. Romualdez’s speakership in the 19th Congress and several government agencies such as the Office of the President (OP), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the NFA.
HB No. 1 also outlines penalties of up to P2 million and two years of imprisonment for violators of the floor price policy and imposes lifetime disqualification from public office for government officials who aid or abet hoarding or profiteering schemes.
“This is a bill of accountability. Dapat managot ang sinumang nambibiktima sa kahirapan ng ating mga kababayan para lamang kumita. We intend to use the full force of the law against those who take advantage of the people’s vulnerability in times of crisis,” Rep. Martin Romualdez stated.
The measure also empowers the DA to lead the implementation of price stabilization mechanisms, supported by the NFA and enforced in coordination with local governments and law enforcement agencies.
“In this, we have unity in purpose. But unity does not mean uniformity. It means moving together, in one direction, toward solutions. Magkaisa na tayo sa layuning ito, na bumaba ang presyo ng pagkain, na umasenso ang magsasaka at na huwag nang gutumin ang karaniwang Pilipino,” he said.
“Ito ay laban para sa kabuhayan at sikmura ng bawat Pilipino. This bill is our strongest statement yet: Hindi tayo papayag na gutom ang mamayani sa ating bayan,” he added.
