DUTERTE REBUTTED
A House leader has dismissed ex-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s recent remarks on rice prices, saying the former leader is either “acutely blind to the country’s current state or deliberately ignoring the fact that reforms more effective than those in his term are already in motion.”
Assistant Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, a member of the House Murang Pagkain Supercommittee or the House Quinta Committee, hit back at Duterte for disregarding ongoing and concrete efforts to stabilize rice prices.
“Kung sa termino mo, former President Digong, walang nagawa para pababain ang presyo ng bigas, ’wag mong itulad sa kasalukuyang termino ni Presidente Marcos. May nagagawa, may ginagawa. Pero ikaw, puro ngawa,” Acidre said.
According to Acidre, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially declared a food security emergency, a move that empowers the National Food Authority (NFA) to release up to 150,000 metric tons of its buffer stock over the next six months to stabilize rice prices and ensure affordability.
“This is not just another policy announcement—this is a nationwide mobilization of resources to bring down the price of rice,” the House leader said. “At hindi ito puro pangako. May aktwal na ginagawa—may inilalabas na buffer stocks para mapigilan ang sobrang taas ng presyo.”
Under Republic Act No. 12078, an amendment to the Rice Tariffication Law, the DA Secretary has the authority to declare a food security emergency when retail prices experience extraordinary spikes. “Ibig sabihin, may legal na basehan ang aksyon na ito, at hindi ito bara-bara,” the solon explained. “May mekanismo para siguraduhin na may sapat na supply at hindi apektado ang ating lokal na magsasaka.”
He also pointed to the ongoing House Quinta Committee hearings, which actively investigate the root causes of food price volatility, including smuggling, hoarding, and market inefficiencies.
“The food crisis is not just about supply—it’s also about abuse in the system,” Acidre said. “May mga negosyanteng nananamantala, may mga hoarders, may mga smuggler na sumisira sa ating food security. Kaya ang Quinta Comm ay nagsasagawa ng malawakang imbestigasyon para tugisin ang mga ito.”
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, who spearheaded the committee’s formation, emphasized that the Quinta Comm unites five key legislative panels—Ways and Means, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Food, Social Services, and the Special Committee on Food Security. This ensures that all aspects of the food price crisis are scrutinized and addressed.
Acidre pointed out that the government’s approach is multi-faceted—balancing affordability with farmer protection.
The solon emphasized that the focus is to stabilize prices, not to flood the market with imports at the expense of local farmers. “Sa ilalim ni Duterte, nagkaroon ng rice tariffication law pero walang sapat na suporta sa mga magsasaka. Ngayon, iniiba natin ang direksyon. Hindi lang consumers ang iniisip, kundi pati ang lokal na agrikultura.”
Acidre did not mince words in criticizing Duterte’s attempts to politicize the issue. “Ang pagkain, hindi dapat ginagawang pulitika. Ang presyo ng bigas ay problema ng lahat ng Pilipino—mula sa pinakamahirap hanggang sa gitnang klase. Ang kailangan natin ay aksyon, hindi sisihan.”
The legislator also hit back at Duterte’s lack of action during his term, saying, “Noong panahon mo, walang food security emergency declaration, walang konkretong solusyon sa presyo ng bigas.
Tapos ngayon, ikaw pa ang matapang magsalita? Kung wala kang naitulong noon, ’wag kang humarang ngayon.”
The lawmaker urged former President Duterte and his allies to focus on real solutions instead of empty rhetoric.
“Duterte’s comments are not just misleading—they’re irresponsible. Sa halip na manduro, bakit hindi siya tumulong? Bakit hindi niya sabihin sa anak niyang si VP Sara Duterte na mag-focus sa pagtulong kaysa sa pakikipag-away sa Kongreso?” He said.
The solon ended with a challenge to the Duterte camp: “Kung talagang may malasakit kayo sa bayan, tumulong na lang kayo. Kung wala kayong maitutulong, tumahimik na lang at harapin ang patung-patong na kaso laban sa inyo kabilang na ang impeachment at kaso sa International Criminal Court.”
