MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering declaring a “food security emergency” early next year to curb rising rice prices, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Thursday.

Tiu Laurel said he is set to meet with key agencies under the DA, including the Bureau of Plant Industry and the National Food Authority (NFA), on January 3 to assess the country’s rice supply and prices.

“After that, there will be an announcement,” Tiu Laurel said, adding that the emergency declaration would enable the release of buffer stocks from the NFA to stabilize rice prices, a major component of Filipino households’ food baskets.

Crackdown on Hoarding and Smuggling

Albay Representative Joey Salceda expressed support for the plan, urging the DA to act swiftly. He noted that cracking down on hoarders and enforcing stricter regulations could reduce rice prices by as much as ₱6 per kilo.

Salceda, who chairs the House ways and means committee and the quinta committee investigating alleged rice price manipulation, said, “We should see a price reduction of at least ₱6 per kilo with stricter enforcement against hoarding.”

The DA is also taking steps to address potential price manipulation, including removing imported rice brand labels and eliminating “premium” and “special” labels. According to Tiu Laurel, traders found violating these regulations risk losing their import permits.

“Importing rice is not a right but a privilege,” he emphasized.

Persistently High Prices

Despite reduced tariffs on imported rice—slashed to 15 percent from 35 percent—retail prices have remained stubbornly high.

The DA’s monitoring showed that well-milled rice under its Rice-for-All program sells for ₱40 per kilo. However, local well-milled rice prices range from ₱40 to ₱52 per kilo, while imported well-milled rice is priced between ₱40 and ₱56 per kilo.

Marikina Representative Stella Luz Quimbo called the situation a clear sign of “abuse.” She said retail prices should stabilize around ₱35 per kilo, given that the landed cost of imported rice has dropped by ₱11 per kilo year-on-year.

Legal and Tax Actions

To address profiteering, the DA is exploring provisions under the Consumer Price Act and considering allowing government corporations, such as Food Terminal Inc., to directly import rice to compete with private importers.

Tiu Laurel also hinted at enlisting the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to audit rice traders’ financial records to ensure fair pricing.

Salceda urged the DA to work with the Bureau of Customs to inspect warehouses and conduct post-clearance checks on imported rice stocks.

Possible Collusion

During recent hearings, lawmakers flagged potential collusion among importers. Representative Nicanor Briones pointed out that two major importers—RBS Universal Grains Traders Corp. and Sodatrade Corp.—share ownership and directors, suggesting coordinated efforts to manipulate prices.

Salceda called on the BIR to scrutinize the country’s top rice importers, which account for 36 percent of total imports.

Mounting Pressure on Government

Rising rice prices have contributed to inflation, one of the biggest concerns among Filipinos. The Marcos administration is under pressure to address the issue, as failure to rein in inflation has negatively impacted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval ratings.

📷 Department of Agriculture