A farmer leader from Nueva Ecija made an emotional appeal before lawmakers to address the worsening plight of Filipino rice farmers, citing continued losses despite billions in government spending for agricultural support.
During a recent hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, Danilo Bolas, a farmer representative from Nueva Ecija, expressed both gratitude and frustration as he detailed the economic struggles of farmers under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).
“Kami po ay nagpapasalamat at sa ganitong pagkakataon nabibigyan halaga ‘yung amin pong kinabubuhay. Subalit ngayon po, sadyang malungkot po ‘yung inaabot namin. Konti na lang po ‘yung kinikita, nalulugi po,” Bolas said.
“Bagamat nariyan po lahat, nakikita naman po namin, tuwing aani lang po kami, ang presyo ng palay, andun po talaga ‘yung pagdurusa namin. Kaya po ‘yung konting naiipon namin, nawawala pa po dahil nadudukot po namin imbis na madagdagan siya,” he added.
Bolas explained that while government aid reaches their communities, the farmgate price of palay — often ranging from ₱8 to ₱10 per kilo — is not enough to offset the high cost of production, which now reaches ₱14 to ₱15 per kilo due to soaring fertilizer and pesticide prices.
He also lamented the poor state of farm-to-market roads and the difficulty of accessing agricultural loans due to stringent documentary requirements.
“Kami po talagang gusto nang tumigil sa aming pagsasaka, subalit ito na po ‘yung buhay namin. Pag tumigil po kami, paano po? Wala naman kaming pupuntahang iba kundi itong magbungkal lang ng lupa,” he said, urging Congress to set a floor price for palay to ensure farmers earn a fair income.
Bolas also called the ₱7,000 cash assistance being discussed in Congress “insufficient,” stressing that what farmers truly need is fair compensation for their hard work, not short-term relief.
In response, House Speaker Bojie Dy and several lawmakers expressed sympathy and assured Bolas that Congress is prioritizing efforts to amend the Rice Tariffication Law to better protect local farmers.
“We will do everything to ensure the welfare of farmers is protected,” Rep. Wilfredo Enverga said. “Without you, our country cannot survive.”
Executive Order No. 93, which temporarily suspended rice importation starting September 1, was also raised during the hearing. However, Bolas said farmers have yet to feel its effects due to recent typhoons that drove palay prices down further.
“Sa ngayon po, hindi po namin naramdaman pa. Dahil siguro po dala nga po ng mga kalamidad, ‘yung pag-ulan-ulan. So, nahihila po talaga, ramdam naman po namin bilang magsasaka sa panahon po ng mga kalamidad na ganito, nahihila po talaga pababa ang presyo ng palay,” Bolas explained.
“Nung nag-araw-araw po ng konti, mga 2–3 araw, mula po sa 10 piso kada kilo, naging 11–12 po siya. Dala po talaga ng panahon, pagkaganito pong panahon ng tag-ulan, sa ganun po nahihila ang presyo,” the farmer added.
The House leadership assured that House Bill No. 1, which seeks to amend the Rice Tariffication Law, remains a top priority of Congress and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who concurrently serves as Secretary of Agriculture.
