Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution Thursday for a review of the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

Hontiveros said she wanted the inquiry to be “evidence-based, consultative and comprehensive”.

“To facilitate the conduct of this review, preliminary investigations are needed to determine its scope and identify other important standards for its effectiveness in addition to the primary benchmark of farmers’ income stated in the IRR (implementing rules and regulations),” Hontiveros said in the resolution.

“These investigations will also aid in enhancing the implementation of the RTL in the period remaining till its expiration in 2025,” she added.

Under the RTL, rice importation, exportation and trading will be liberalized by lifting quantitative import restrictions on rice.

It also created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) with an annual appropriation of PHP10 billion for six years.

However, Hontiveros noted that rice smuggling has led to considerable revenue losses of around PHP7.2 billion last year with the government losing additional tariff revenue due to undervaluation and misclassification of rice imports.

She also cited the 2021 Financial Inclusion Survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, saying only 14 percent of the estimated 10 million farmers and fisherfolk in the country are registered in the Registry of Basic Sectors in Agriculture and seven out of ten farmers are unbanked.

“Be it further resolved that this process be consultative, and engage with rice stakeholders, listening to business models, and considering diverse procurement approaches to ensure the RTL fulfills its objectives of enhancing the competitiveness of the rice sector and ensuring food security for the nation,” Hontiveros said. (PNA)