The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is completing nationwide consultations on the proposed revisions to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), aimed at addressing persistently high rice prices and ensuring fair returns for local farmers.
In a statement on Monday, the DA said the series of regional meetings—set to conclude in Cagayan de Oro on October 27 and Quezon City on October 28—will help finalize the administration’s proposed amendments before submission to Congress.
The RTL overhaul is among the 44 priority measures endorsed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council, which coordinates legislative priorities between the Executive and Congress.
Debates on the proposed changes center on three key issues: the drop in farm incomes due to cheap imports, the failure of retail prices to reflect lower import costs, and the country’s growing reliance on unstable global grain markets.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the reforms aim to build “a rice industry that rewards productivity, ensures stability, and protects both producers and consumers.”
The proposal includes restoring limited powers to the National Food Authority (NFA) to manage buffer stocks, regulate imports, and stabilize prices—without abandoning trade liberalization. It will also create a Philippine Rice Industry Development Program, funded by P30 billion annually from tariff revenues, to boost productivity and resilience.
Other key provisions include setting a flexible floor price for palay to ensure fair farmer income, establishing an affordability benchmark for rice, and introducing targeted subsidies for low-income consumers.
The DA aims to submit the refined draft to Congress and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office before sessions resume on November 10. Lawmakers target to pass substitute bills in both chambers by the end of 2025.
Based on DA’s recent market monitoring in Metro Manila, prices of local well-milled rice ranged from P35 to P51 per kilo, while imported well-milled rice sold for P38 to P46 per kilo. Premium and special varieties of both local and imported rice were priced between P43 and P65 per kilo.
“This is not just about rice prices—it’s about restoring balance and dignity in our nation’s food system,” Laurel said.
