GIVING back to the National Food Authority (NFA) its regulatory powers such as controlling prices and authority to directly sell to consumers could bring down rice prices, Malacañang said on Monday.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the NFA lost the power to regulate rice prices under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

Castro said under the RTL, the NFA could only sell to Kadiwa stores, to the Food Terminal Inc., and the local government units (LGUs).

“So iyon po ang hindi maganda sa provision na ito. Kaya noon pa po hinihiling ng administrasyon na magbigay po ng power, magkaroon ng amendments ang RTL patungkol po sa karapatan, authority, at power ang NFA,” she said.

Castro said several lawmakers are pushing for amending the RTL, and that the administration supports calls to amend the law to bring down rice prices.

The proposals, however, are being blocked by Sen. Cynthia Villar, the author and sponsor of Republic Act 11203, also called the Rice Tariffication Law, she said.

“Actually nagkaroon na ng proposal ang administration na bigyan ng sapat na kapangyarihan ang NFA (to sell directly to the consumers),” Castro said.

“Gusto natin ipabatid kapag nabigyan natin ng karapatan ang NFA na makapagbenta ng diretso sa taumbayan at makontrol ang presyo ng bigas, hindi po tataas ng ganito ang presyo ng bigas.

Dahil sa kasalukuyan po, because of the Rice Tariffication Law, na ang author ay si Senator Cynthia Villar, ang nag-i-import dito ay mga private companies,” Castro said.

Castro stressed the administration would not allow the importation of rice with higher prices.

“Hindi po na hahayaan ng government na mag-import. Kung government sana thru NFA, government to government, mas maganda po ang tsansa na mabigyan po tayo ng mas murang presyo para maibigay po natin sa taumbayan,” she said. PCO

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