Lacson eyes long-term reforms in agriculture sector

The Manila Times

Lacson eyes long-term reforms in agriculture sector  Former senator Panfilo Lacson, who is seeking a Senate comeback, supports the national government’s P20-per-kilo rice initiative as a short-term solution but highlights that it’s not financially sustainable in the long run. He said this in an interview after the 'Konsultahang Bayan' forum in Cebu on April 28, 2025 when he emphasized the need for long-term reforms in the agriculture sector, such as increasing productivity. Lacson also discussed the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law. The P20 rice program, starting May 1 in Visayas regions, will allow families to buy rice at subsidized rates.  VIDEO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net     Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #themanilatimes #tmtnews #philippines

Transcript

00:00Well, even local government units should be able to subsidize

00:08yung population of bigas kasi masyado mataas.

00:11Kasi dalawa yung pinaproteksyon nandito,

00:13yung farmers natin at least nabibili yung bigas nila at farm gate price

00:19instead of you know, traders, middlemen,

00:23sometimes numbering to around 5 or 6 middlemen.

00:27Imagine yung mark-up, mark-up, mark-up.

00:30Ang baba ng presyong pagkabili sa farmers, ang taas naman ng presyong pagbebenta sa mga consumers.

00:35Ito, nag-interven yung government, nag-subsidize ng 13 pesos per kilo

00:40na peg nila sa 20 pesos.

00:43Pero actually, ang biling nila sa mga farmers, 33 pesos.

00:47So kumita yung mga farmers, hindi sila nalugi.

00:49At the same time, nakinabang yung consumers.

00:52Nag-20 paus lang nilabibili.

00:54But you know, mahirap yung system na mahabaan ito.

00:59Because we're allocating billions of pesos para sa subsidy.

01:04Hindi pwedeng forever mag-subsidize.

01:06Kailangan tingnan din natin yung long-term solution.

01:11How? Increased productivity.

01:13Yung RTL is a very good law, rice certification law.

01:17In-increase yung tarif.

01:19Pero ang kapalit noon, may earmark na 10 billion pesos sa mga farmers para sa farm inputs.

01:25Ang problema, implementation.

01:27Ang ginawa ng mga ibang may kalokohan,

01:30yung i-import nila mga machineries.

01:32Mga tillers, miller.

01:35Wala.

01:36Mga madali masira.

01:37So, corruption ang kalaban natin.

01:39So, pagdating sa presyo ng bigas,

01:42I think it is a stopgap measure that should not be criticized

01:47and instead should be supported by Filipinos.

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