By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – The goal of bringing down the price of rice to PHP20 per kg. is still achievable, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate Vicente Sotto III said Friday.
In a media interview at Hotel Savano in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, Sotto said the plan is still feasible, if the government procures at least 50 percent of the total output of local farmers.
“Malaki ang posibilidad na pwede doon sa proposal naming 50 percent na output ng mga magsasaka, bibilhin mo at their price. Malaki ang possibility na talagang bumaba (There is a high possibility, with our proposal to purchase 50 percent of the farmers’ output at their price. There is a high possibility that it will actually go down),” the former Senate president said.
“I cannot pinpoint what the price will be but definitely that is the intent nung proposal na ‘yun, para nga bumaba at makinabang ang magsasaka (of the proposal, to lower the price and benefit the farmers),” he added.
However, former senator Panfilo Lacson, another Alyansa bet who is also pushing for the procurement of 50 percent of farmers’ crops, acknowledged that it would be difficult to reduce the price of rice to PHP20/kg.
“Bihira kong kontrahin si Senator Sotto pero realistically parang mahirap ma-attain yung PHP20 per kilo ng rice. Ma-approximate lang sana masaya na tayong lahat. Pero to accomplish ‘yung PHP20 per kilo, ako I’m being pragmatic medyo mahirap (I seldom oppose Senator Sott but realistically, it seems difficult to attain the PHP20 per kg. of rice. I hope it would be approximate and we will all be happy. But to accomplish the PHP20 per kg., I’m being pragmatic, it is quite difficult),” he said.
The Kadiwa ng Pangulo kiosk is offering cheaper rice under the Rice for All (RFA).
The price of RFA options under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo further dropped amid the downward trend of rice prices in the global market and the upcoming peak of palay (unhusked rice) harvest season.
Since Feb. 12, RFA5 rice (with 5 percent broken grains at most) was priced at PHP43 per kg., RFA25 at PHP35 per kg. (with 25 percent broken grains at most), and RFA100 (with 100 percent broken grains) at PHP33 per kg. (PNA)
