THE Senate approved the bicameral conference committee report on the bill to amend the existing Rice Tariffication Law, Republic Act (RA) 11203.
The Senate version of the measure was also ratified by the House of Representatives.
During the Senate's plenary session on Wednesday, Sen. Cynthia Villar highlighted the key points from the bicameral conference committee report on the differing provisions of Senate Bill (SB) 2779 and House Bill (HB) 10381. The bills amend the Agricultural Tariffication Law and extend the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
Villar moved to approve and ratify the report, which Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito seconded.
In the proposal, the rice competitiveness enhancement fund, which was supposed to end this year, will be extended for another six years or until 2031, and its fund will be increased to P30 billion per year from the current P10 billion.
The fund will come from the tax levied on rice imports. It will be used to purchase machinery and equipment for modern and faster rice planting and harvesting, purchase good rice seeds, and train farmers.
The proposal gives the President the power to stop or limit the volume of rice imported when there is an oversupply due to local harvest and importation.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary will be authorized to sell local rice to government agencies such as hospitals, prisons, and Kadiwa outlets when there is a declaration of a shortage and an extraordinary price increase.
There is also a proposal allowing the DA to import rice if there is no locally produced rice. It can also designate someone to do the importation.
The National Food Authority (NFA) is still not included in the list of those who can make the importation.
The enrolled copy will be sent to Malacañang for the President's signature.
The House ratified the report on Wednesday night after acting on a motion by Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin.
The ratification did not go through a voice vote.
Section 3 was amended to reduce the buffer stock requirement from 30 days to 15 days, while Section 5, which discusses the regulatory functions of the DA, storage facilities, silos and controlled temperature cold storages were now included to be registered and be included in a national database.
The House panel at the conference committee was chaired by Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga together with Rep. Mikaela Suansing, Rep. Ambrosio Cruz Jr., Rep. Wilbert Lee, Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago, Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano, Rep. Robert Raymund Estrella, Rep. Arnan Panaligan, and Rep. Stella Quimbo as members.
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