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Sen. Mar Roxas scores Palace-backed food summit

Opposition Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II yesterday slammed the convening of the food summit by President Arroyo, saying this should have been carried out long before the government was caught flat-footed by the soaring rice prices and reports of scarcity of the grain in the local market.

The Philippines, a major rice importer, has been one of the countries hardest hit by the increase in rice prices, which are near record highs — leading some experts to warn the government it could face domestic unrest.

“The food summit should have been convened long before the DA’s (Department of Agriculture) admonition for the people to start eating brown rice or half-a-cup of rice,” Roxas said.

The chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce also chided Malacañang for its continued denial of an impending rice crisis, yet signs are beginning to show what he described as an adrenalin rush among executives to come up with abrupt measures.

“We must now convert the current crisis into a genuine opportunity for agricultural reforms. What we need is a 10-year food security plan done quietly but competently in consultation with experts and stakeholders, attuned with global trends and realities but with very clear domestic targets and a realistic to-do list.

“Otherwise, we will continue to muddle our way through a global regime of soaring food prices. The well-meaning recommendations of different groups during the one-day summit can be integrated into this 10-year plan,” he said.

The senator also criticized the Chief Executive’s announcement, appointing a deputy Ombudsman who would focus on agriculture-related cases to ensure that funds for agriculture would not be wasted on corruption.

Public accountability should start with the government’s rice importation program, he pointed out.

“How much in totality are our rice imports? When were they negotiated, for how much per metric ton, and when will these rice imports actually arrive in Manila? The release of such information is the best assurance to our people that there will indeed be adequate supply of rice in the country for the coming months. I ask the DA and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to present this bill of particulars to the people as a sign of their commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of agriculture funds,” he said.

Militant groups, for their part, described the Palace-initiated food summit “as nothing but a sham undertaking.”

“It is nothing but a super roadshow presentation to show to the food starved public that the government is doing everything to address the chronic rice crisis that has blown up into an uncontrollable proportions,” Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap said.

The group also proposed the holding of an inquiry on rice crisis that would undertake an independent and comprehensive investigation on the food problems of the Filipino people.

“In aid of legislation, the Senate can deputize this independent national inquiry group on the rice crisis with the government officials from Malacañang down to regional offices of DA and NFA (National Food Authority) as willing and hostile resource persons and witnesses,” the group added.

The government, for its part, said the meeting was aimed at “unifying our initiatives to guarantee food security,” as steep prices have caused countries around the region to look urgently at the problem.

During the summit held at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Mrs. Arroyo announced fresh initiatives to “cushion the impact of the looming global food crunch arising from tightening supplies and escalating prices of rice, corn, wheat and other grains.”

Congressional leaders who attended the meeting were also asked to act on pending bills on national land use, which aim to stop the “unbridled conversion of prime farmlands into non-agricultural uses.”

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, for his part, insisted that the Philippines had enough rice for now.

The government has announced plans to import 1.5 million tons of the staple cereal this year, of which 700,000 tons are expected to arrive in July.

Yap said the government had the capacity to import “up to 2.7 million tons” this year, but did not say if that figure will be reached.

“With imports on the way and a bumper summer crop… the country will have more than an adequate supply of rice for the rest of the year,” he added.

Independent think-tank Ibon Foundation, however, noted that the Philippines has become too dependent on food importation to make up for its shortfalls in domestic production.

“Importation should only be a short-term solution to supply shortages,” Ibon executive editor Rosario Bella Guzman said.

“In the long-term the government must make the country self-sufficient in the production of its staple food such as rice, not just to guarantee that Filipinos have enough to eat without relying on foreign markets, but also to ensure sustainable development.”

Government should also allocate more funds for buying from local farmers, Guzman added. Sherwin C. Olaes, Charlie V. Manalo, Pat C. Santos and AFP

From page 1

“We must now convert the current crisis into a genuine opportunity for agricultural reforms. What we need is a 10-year food security plan done quietly but competently in consultation with experts and stakeholders, attuned with global trends and realities but with very clear domestic targets and a realistic to-do list.

“Otherwise, we will continue to muddle our way through a global regime of soaring food prices. The well-meaning recommendations of different groups during the one-day summit can be integrated into this 10-year plan,” he said.

The senator also criticized the Chief Executive’s announcement, appointing a deputy Ombudsman who would focus on agriculture-related cases to ensure that funds for agriculture would not be wasted on corruption.

Public accountability should start with the government’s rice importation program, he pointed out.

“How much in totality are our rice imports? When were they negotiated, for how much per metric ton, and when will these rice imports actually arrive in Manila? The release of such information is the best assurance to our people that there will indeed be adequate supply of rice in the country for the coming months. I ask the DA and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to present this bill of particulars to the people as a sign of their commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of agriculture funds,” he said.

Militant groups, for their part, described the Palace-initiated food summit “as nothing but a sham undertaking,” Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap said.

The group also proposed the holding of an inquiry on rice crisis that would undertake an independent and comprehensive investigation on the food problems of the Filipino people.

“In aid of legislation, the Senate can deputize this independent national inquiry group on the rice crisis with the government officials from Malacañang down to regional offices of DA and NFA (National Food Authority) as willing and hostile resource persons and witnesses,” the group added.

The government, for its part, said the meeting was aimed at “unifying our initiatives to guarantee food security,” as steep prices have caused countries around the region to look urgently at the problem.

During the summit held at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga, Mrs. Arroyo announced fresh initiatives to “cushion the impact of the looming global food crunch arising from tightening supplies and escalating prices of rice, corn, wheat and other grains.”

Congressional leaders who attended the meeting were also asked to act on pending bills on national land use, which aim to stop the “unbridled conversion of prime farmlands into non-agricultural uses.”

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, for his part, insisted that the Philippines has enough rice for now.

The government has announced plans to import 1.5 million tons of the staple cereal this year, of which 700,000 tons are expected to arrive in July.

Sherwin C. Olaes, Charlie V. Manalo, Pat C. Santos and AFP

Yap said the government had the capacity to import “up to 2.7 million tons” this year, but did not say if that figure will be reached.

“With imports on the way and a bumper summer crop… the country will have more than an adequate supply of rice for the rest of the year,” he added.

Independent think-tank Ibon Foundation, however, noted that the Philippines has become too dependent on food importation to make up for its shortfalls in domestic production.

“Importation should only be a short-term solution to supply shortages,” Ibon executive editor Rosario Bella Guzman said.

“In the long-term the government must make the country self-sufficient in the production of its staple food such as rice, not just to guarantee that Filipinos have enough to eat without relying on foreign markets, but also to ensure sustainable development.”

Government should also allocate more funds for buying from local farmers, Guzman added.

By Angie M. Rosales

source: http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080405hed4.html

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