admin 
Ni Estong Reyes
NAGHAIN ng isang panukalang resolusyon si Senador Risa Hontiveros na naglalayong talupan ang aniya’y sala-salabat na polisiya ng administrasyon sa rice regulation.
Sa paghahain ng Senate Resolution 794, sinabi ni Hontiveros na may malinaw na kawalan ng liderato, koordinasyon at pagkakaisa sa mga patakaran ng bansa sa regulasyon ng bigas na malalagay sa matinding panganib at paghihirap sa mamamayan.
Nakatuon ang resolusyon ng oposisyon lawmaker sa Executive Order No. 39 ni President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.na nagtatakda ng price ceiling sa regular at well-milled rice.
Tinukoy din ni Hontiveros ang oposisyon ng economists na nagbabala sa EO 39 na naging epekto nitong September 5, na magdudulot ng pagkalugi sa magsasaka at retailers na mas lalong maghihirap ang consumer at magtataguyod ng mas malalang sakit kaysa lunas sa sitwasyon.
“[I]ndeed, EO 39 may likely encourage rather than curb hoarding, profiteering, and the proliferation of cartels—a former Department of Agriculture undersecretary predicts that ‘we will soon see rice shortages, black markets, and rice queues,’ making rice even less accessible and risking critical supply gaps that hurt the poorest of Filipinos most,” ayon sa senador.
Binanggit din ni Hontiveros ang pag-amin ni Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno na hindi kinonsulta ang economic team sa pagpapalabas ng mandatory price ceiling.
“These extreme and conflicting policies are thrown around even as the National Food Authority has failed to utilize its [P7 billion] subsidy to maintain a sufficient rice buffer stock sourced solely from local farmers, as mandated by Republic Act No. 11203 (Rice Tariffication Law),” aniya.
”Such a proposal would also contradict the administration’s past statements bolstering the need for government-to-government importation of rice,” giit pa ng senador.
Nitong Lunes, binawi ni Diokno ang unang pahayag saka inihayag na sinusuportahan ng economic team ang implementasyon ng price cap sa bigas.
“We agree with the President that implementing a price cap on rice is the most prudent course of action at the moment to achieve two critical objectives: stabilizing rice prices and extending immediate support to our fellow countrymen.”
