Farmers’ group Bantay Bigas criticized the continued drop in farm gate prices of palay, calling it “infuriating” despite recent executive orders issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that were meant to uplift the agricultural sector.
In an interview on DZRH, Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo shared that she recently visited Mountain Province, where she discovered that farmers are selling palay for as low as ₱8 per kilo.
“Farm gate price ng palay, actually talagang nakakagalit, galing akong Mountain Province last week, ₱8 [per kilo],” Estavillo said.
She added that farmers in several regions have already completed their harvests, but government support remains absent on the ground.
Estavillo criticized Executive Order Nos. 100 and 101, saying that these policies would not reach farmers or raise palay prices.
“Kaya itong mga Executive Order No. 100 at 101, wala na 'yang aabutin sa bukid ng ating mga magsasaka. Kailangan pa ring i-basura ‘yan dahil hindi naman ‘yan magreresulta ng pagtaas ng presyo ng palay,” she stressed.
Marcos signed Executive Orders No. 100 and No. 101 last week, which Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan described the move as a “big win” for farmers.
EO 100 sets a floor price for government palay purchases, while EO 101 orders the full implementation of Republic Act No. 11321 or the Sagip Saka Act, which seeks to boost direct government procurement from farmers and fisherfolk.
These come alongside the temporary rice import ban, which the government says will help improve farmer incomes during the harvest season.
Despite these measures, Estavillo said that farm gate prices remain low across major rice-producing provinces.
In Laguna, she said farmers are selling palay for ₱10 to ₱12 per kilo, mostly wet palay due to the lack of post-harvest facilities.
“Usually wet ang ibinebenta ng ating magsasaka dahil wala namang post-harvest facilities. Kaya 'yung panawagan nilang ₱20 per kilo, hindi mangyayari hangga’t walang support price at facilities,” she added.
Meanwhile, in Mindoro, prices range from ₱10 to ₱12 per kilo, she noted, far below production costs that now reach ₱16 to ₱17 per kilo due to rising post-production expenses.
Rice Liberalization Law still the root problem of farmers
Estavillo argued that the Rice Liberalization Law or the RA 11203 remains the root cause of the country’s rice and food crisis.
“Hangga’t nandiyan 'yung batas [na] Rice Liberalization Law, ‘yan ang puno’t dulo, ang dahilan ng matinding krisis natin sa pagkain,” she said.
The 2019 law opened the floodgates for rice importation, which farmers claim pushed local palay prices down to as low as ₱7 to ₱10 per kilo that year — levels that Estavillo said are now repeating.
“Parang naulit lang ‘yung 2019, sobrang baba ng presyo, ₱8 to ₱10 per kilo. Hindi tinitingnan ng gobyerno ‘yung cost ng krisis sa pagkain at pagkalugi ng mga magsasaka,” she said.
She further urged the government to prioritize direct subsidies and higher support prices for farmers instead of relying on market liberalization and import restrictions.
