SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez yesterday said the House of Representatives is working on changes in the Rice Tarrification Law to bring down the price of staple by P10-15 per kilo.

He told reporters in an interview that the House of Representatives is targeting to reduce the retail price of the staple to P30 per kilo, from the present P40-45 to more than P50.

He said he would ask President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify the proposed amendments as urgent so these could be enacted as soon as possible.

“Ginagawa natin ito kasi sabi ng Presidente we have to find ways na ibaba natin ang presyo ng bigas. So ‘yung tinatarget natin na by June, we should bring the price of rice down by at least P10 or even P15, na close to P30 pesos kada kilo,” he said.

“We will do this by having the NFA (National Food Authority) bring to the market affordable rice para sa lahat ng mamamayan na pwede silang bumili ng abot kaya na presyo na P30. So ito po ang maari nating mga amendments na pinapaspasan natin,” he said.

He added that the House would coordinate with the Office of the President on the proposed amendments.

Speaker Romualdez asked the Senate to work on similar changes in the law.

“Ito po ang gusto talaga ng ating Presidente na ibaba ang presyo ng ating bigas para sa mamamayan. So that’s our announcement because our committee on agriculture, aaraw-arawin nila itong mga hearing para ipasok itong mga amendments para magkakaroon tayo ng mas mababang presyo ng bigas sa lahat,” he said.

He said the amendments would include tariff rates, taxes and the expanded authority of the NFA to purchase palay from farmers.

“Kagaya po ngayon kasi ang init-init ng panahon at saka ‘yung presyo ay tumataas, gagawa tayo lahat ng paraan at ito ang nakikita natin na napakaganda na bago mag sine die tatapusin natin ito sa Kongreso,” he said.

He added that he was urging “our friends in the Senate na gawin din nilang urgent para matapos natin at ‘yung ating mamamayan makaka-enjoy ng mas mababang presyong bigas galing sa NFA.”

The House leader pointed out that reducing the price of rice “is a priority of the President.”

“Kasama po kami dyan sa urgency niyan kasi alam mo naman ‘yung ating mahal na Presidente ayaw na ayaw na mahihirapan ang ating mamamayang Pilipino, the consumers, and of course the rice buyers. Dapat magkakaroon ng tamang presyo ng bigas na abot kaya ng lahat,” he stressed.