Farmers groups call for NEDA chief Balisacan’s resignation

Farmers groups are calling for the resignation of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, following the planned reduction of the country’s rice import tariff rates.

According to the farmers groups, higher imports would hit local farmers, and would not bring down prices of rice to P29 per kilogram.

“Wala na sa tamang pag-iisip si Secretary Balisacan, kaya magpahinga na siya. Kasi grabe na pananaksak sa amin sa likod. The farmers are the backbone of the economy—backbone ng osteoporosis dahil sa kahirapan sa dami ng utang ng farmers,” Pambansang Mannalon, Mag-uuma, Magbabaul, Magsasaka ng Pilipinas (P4MP) president Anong Manalo said in Mav Gonzales's report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(Secretary Balisacan is not in the right mind so he should rest, because the backstabbing is too much. The farmers are the backbone of the economy—backbone with osteoporosis because of poverty with the large debt of farmers.)

This comes as the NEDA Board, chaired by the President, last week approved the cut in rice tariffs to 15% for both in-quota and out-quota rates until 2028.

The groups are now seeking an audience with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., as they say they were not consulted by NEDA and this did not pass through the Tariff Commission.

They are also planning to file a temporary restraining order against the measure should Marcos sign it into law, saying it would not be possible to bring down prices of rice to P29 per kilogram.

“We think NEDA is giving the President false hopes and that’s why we feel that before the President thinks of issuing an Executive Order, pakinggan niya muna kami, bagamat baligtad ‘yung proseso, para hindi po malagay rin sa alanganin ang ating pamahalaan [he should listen to us first, despite the process being in reverse, so the government would not be in jeopardy],” Federal of Free Farmers’ Leony Montemayor said.

For its part, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said the government will still have to provide subsidies estimated at P21 per kilogram for rice prices to reach P29 per kilogram, as it questioned what will happen during the harvest season come October.

This would translate to P22 billion in subsidies per month, and will contribute P86 billion in losses to local farmers as prices of palay or unmilled rice would also go down to compete with the influx of imports.

The government earlier said the National Food Authority (NFA) would buy production of local farmers, but SINAG said the agency only has the capacity to buy 5% of the stocks.

“Paano ‘yung remaining? Ibig ba sabihin eh babagsak na presyo ng palay? Kasi wala na silang pera pambili eh so ‘yun ang isang malaking problema. ‘Yung sinasabi na may pondo, bumibili ang gobyerno pero hanggang maximum of 15 days lang sila. Eh mag-umpisa pa lang ang ani, wala na silang mabibili,” SINAG chairman Rosendo So said.

(What about the remaining? Does this mean prices of palay will go down? They do not have the funds to buy, that is one big problem. They are saying that there are funds, the government will buy, but they only have a maximum of 15 days. The harvest season is just about to start and they already do not have funds.)

GMA Integrated News is still trying to reach Balisacan for comment. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News