Abalos seeks stronger NFA to protect farmers, stabilize rice prices

Benhur Abalos with Bulacan rice farmers

MANILA, Philippines – Senatorial candidate and former Interior Secretary Atty. Benhur Abalos Jr. called for urgent amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) to empower the National Food Authority (NFA), citing the law’s negative impact on local farmers and its failure to stabilize rice prices over the long term.

“The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) has been around for a long time. The goal was to improve and make rice cheaper, but now its problems are starting to show. Congress and the Senate should look at it closely and see what needs to be fixed in the law to help our farmers,” Abalos said in an interview on Tuesday.

Benhur Abalos explaining to Bulacan farmer groups his agricultural agenda

Abalos said that there should be a continuous dialogue between our farmers and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to address the pressing issues faced by the agricultural sector.

Abalos emphasized that while the RTL was originally intended to ensure affordable rice prices and liberalize rice imports, the law has revealed serious flaws that Congress must address. The law, enacted in 2019 and subsequently amended in 2024, removed the National Food Authority’s (NFA) role in rice importation and limited its capacity to intervene in market prices, relegating it to buffer stocking for calamities and emergencies only.

He pointed out that under the current setup, the NFA is allowed to buy palay to local farmers for purposes of buffer stocking. It no longer has the power to sell rice to the public unless a rice emergency is declared. This shift, Abalos argued, weakens the government’s ability to stabilize prices and protect local farmers from unfair competition and price manipulation.

“Before, the National Food Authority (NFA) could buy rice from our farmers at fair prices, import rice, and sell it to the public. But now, they lost the power to sell rice to the public. They can only sell if there’s a rice emergency,” he said.

Abalos is pushing for a stronger and more active role for the NFA as a solution. He proposes providing the agency with sufficient funding and logistical support, including trucks that can be deployed to purchase rice directly from farmers and sell it at fair prices.

“Isipin lang natin ito, kung ang NFA magkaroon ng tamang pondo, malaking pondo, at bibilhin niya lahat ng mga bigas ng ating mga magsasaka sa tamang presyo na hindi malulugi. At ibebenta ito sa publiko ng tamang presyo at umiikot ang perang ito. Talaga maaalalayan natin ang ating mga magsasaka,” he said.

Abalos said he does not agree to the current practice of stockpiling rice for emergencies while leaving farmers vulnerable to low prices and unfair trade dynamics.

“Kasi ang nangyayari ngayon ang binibili nila, hindi nila ibibenta, naka-stock lang. At ito ang binibigay during baha, calamity or earthquake. Kaya sayang ang kapangyarihan na yan ng NFA na makatulong sa ating mga magsasaka,” he added.

If elected to the Senate, Abalos vowed to file and support legislation that will amend the Rice Tariffication Law, restore the buying and selling authority of the NFA, and establish mechanisms to ensure rice price stability and long-term food security for the nation.

“That’s the problem I see, and the solution to help our farmers is to amend the Rice Tariffication Law,” Abalos said.