P20/kilo rice needs 'true land reform'

CEBU, Philippines —  Against the backdrop of rising rice and gas prices, cause-oriented group Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo (AMA) Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.'s promise for a P20 per kilo rice is impossible if is there is no genuine land reform in the country.

Jaime Paglinawan, AMA Sugbo-KMU chairperson, said  the government should implement true change on how land is owned and used and should consistently help local farmers, especially by owning the land they have long tilled, if it wants to fulfill its promise.

"Through the implementation of genuine agrarian reform, our farmers will be emancipated from the exploitation of landlords in the form of high rent, unfair division of produce, and the widespread conversion of agricultural lands to subdivisions, quarrying areas, and others," he said.

He lamented that prices of basic goods, especially that of rice, which shot up to almost ?60 from ?48, are soaring while daily minimum wage in Central Visayas is stuck at ?382 to ?435.

Paglinawan said the price increases are too much products such as fish, poultry, meat, vegetables, fruits, and spices are now almost of the same value as that of the minimum wage in Cebu and in Central Visayas.

“Bug-at kaayo sa ordinaryong Pilipino ang kamahal sa palaliton karon, samotan pa nga halos matag Martes ang pagsaka sa matag litro sa mga produktong petrolyo," he said, in a statement.

As solution,  AMA Sugbo-KMU calls for the immediate stop of the implementation of excise tax under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law and of the 12 percent Value Added Tax on oil prices.

“There must be an urgent lowering of prices on petroleum products, which is one of the main reasons why there is a rocketing increase in prices of basic goods. For Filipinos to cope with surging prices, there should be an urgent wage increase for the workers and government employees,” Paglinawan said.

He cited as ironic that while Philippines is an agricultural country, its citizens are constantly struggling to ensure that their families' primary needs, such as food, are met daily.

“Ang atong mag-uuma, nga maoy gigikanan sa kadaghanan sa mga mamumuo, nag-antos sa kawalay yuta nga matikad, gumikan kay gipanag-iya lang kini sa pipila ka mga agalong yutaan," Paglinawan said.

According to farmers' group Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas, landlessness pushes into extreme poverty the rural people, who already comprise almost 80 percent of the world’s poor.

On the other hand, the Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura said a 2020 report showed that seven out of 10 Filipino farmers are still landless.

"Samotan pa nga ang atong mag-uuma nga nagtikad sa yuta nagpas-an sa taas kaayo nga presyo sa binhi, abuno, ug pestisodyo," Paglinawan said.

He said that instead of helping farmers boost local rice production, the Philippine government continues to depend on importation.

He said the country imported two million metric ton of rice int 2018, three million metric tons in 2021, and 3.7 million metric tons in 2022. This, he said, is due to the implementation of the Rice Liberalization Law.

Paglinawan said this move is a 'lazy solution' to the rice crisis and is the main reason why the National Food Authority (NFA) no longer has the capacity to purchase the local farmers’ products.

He warned that the Philippines' import dependence and lack of support for the local agricultural sector is slowly killing the livelihood of farmers and small producers.

“Dugang problema pa niini ang barato nga palit sa mga negosyante sa ilang tipasi o palay nga moresulta sa pagka-alkanse. Aduna pay mga rice cartels nga maoy nag-manipulate sa supply ug presyo," he said.

President Marcos, Jr. is concurrently the country's agriculture secretary.

He alleged that had Marcos, Jr.'s administration been genuine, it would have developed our agriculture by giving sufficient support, such as providing seedlings, fertilizers, and pesticides, and buying, through the NFA, the rice of local farmers at a price that will not bankrupt them.