Senatorial candidate and former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos is calling for the reinstatement of the National Food Administration’s (NFA) authority to buy and sell rice—powers that were removed by the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) in 2019.
Abalos made the appeal following a dialogue with farmers and agricultural officials, including NFA Administrator Larry Lacson and Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez. He emphasized that restoring NFA’s mandate could help stabilize rice prices and protect local farmers from economic hardship.
“When NFA had the power to buy and sell rice, our farmers weren’t this burdened,” Abalos said. “The solution is simple: restore the NFA’s authority, buy at fair prices, sell quickly, and let the money circulate to keep farmers afloat.”
The dialogue, initiated by former Magsasaka representative Argel Joseph Cabatbat, was part of a larger push to amend the RTL. Cabatbat said farmers aren’t looking for handouts, but for real allies and fair treatment.
“If no one else will stand up for farmers, I will. I won’t stop until farming regains dignity in the Philippines,” Abalos vowed.
Ka Joe Pangilinan of the farmers’ group SWISSA echoed the sentiment, calling RTL one of the biggest blows to farmers’ livelihoods. He urged lawmakers to amend the law now—not later—arguing that cheap imported rice continues to push local farmers deeper into poverty.
The RTL, enacted in 2019, removed NFA’s role in rice importation and pricing, allowing private players to bring in rice without limits. While the law was designed to lower rice prices, critics say it left farmers unprotected from market fluctuations.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously approved a tariff cut from 35% to 15% to ease rice prices, which has led to some varieties falling below $400 per metric ton—the lowest in over two years, according to the Department of Agriculture.