INANUNSYO ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez ang isang komprehensibong estratehiya ng iba’t ibang sangay ng gobyerno upang mapababa ang presyo ng bigas kasabay ng ilalabas na direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na bawasan ang taripang ipinapataw sa imported na bigas.

Ayon sa National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), isang executive order ang ilalabas ni Pangulong Marcos upang ibaba sa 15 porsyento ang taripa sa imported na bigas mula sa kasalukuyang 35 porsyento. Layunin nito na maibaba sa P29 ang presyo ng kada kilo ng bigas.

“We’re all trying to coordinate so we can afford the consumers quality and affordable rice — ‘yan ang goal. So everyone involved, we’re talking to and making sure that coordinated po tayo kasi the President has already given his mandate and that is his desire because that is the best for the people. So we’re all on board,” ani Speaker Romualdez sa isang press conference sa Makati City noong Huwebes.

Ginawa ng lider ng Kamara na mayroong mahigit 300 miyembro ang anunsyo matapos ang pakikipagpulong nito sa mga opisyal ng Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), at iba pang stakeholders, kasama ang pribadong sektor.

Nakasama ni Speaker Romualdez sa pagpupulong sina Quezon 1st District Rep. Mark Enverga, chairman ng House Committee on Agriculture and Food, at Deputy Majority Leader for Communications at ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo.

Iginiit ni Speaker Romualdez ang pagnanais ng administrasyong Marcos na maging abot-kaya ang presyo ng at sapat ang suplay ng bigas.

“There’s a commitment that the President and the administration is all out here to support the drive to make sure that quality rice is affordable and is ubiquitous. Kumbaga kahit saan, kahit kailan ‘yung magandang de kalidad na bigas sa abot kayang presyo ay nandyan para sa lahat ng mamamayan,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

Tinukoy ni Speaker Romualdez ang mahalagang papel ng DTI upang matiyak na mararamdaman ng publiko ang pagbawas ng taripa sa bigas.

“They (DTI) have been the traditional price watch, watchdog kumbaga eh di ba, sila ang parang pulis, to make sure that everyone is following the program and to making sure the suggested retail prices are based on the savings that are passed on to those in the supply chain—from the importers and traders, retailers, sa mga palengke, hanggang umabot sa ating mga consumers,” sabi pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

Ayon kay Enverga posibleng bumaba ang presyo ng bigas ng P5-6 kada kilo batay sa pagtataya ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

“As far as the PSA has reported, the reduction is expected to lower rice prices by P5-6 pesos per kilo,” ani Enverga.

Ayon kay Deputy Majority Leader Tulfo ang pagbabang ito ay maaaring maapektuhan ng exchange rate.

“Pero that’s depending on the current exchange rate, which is at P58. So if the dollar goes down, then mas mataas pa doon. It all depends on the exchange rate,” paliwanag ni Tulfo.

Sinabi naman ni Speaker Romualdez na nakikipag-ugnayan din ito sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) upang malimitahan ang epekto ng pagtaas ng halaga ng dolyar.

“Kausap din natin our friends at the BSP, sa Monetary Board. It is also their role to make sure that the foreign exchange is kept at reasonable levels,” sabi pa ng lider ng Kamara.

“So the BSP has, time and again, very quietly but steadily, been at the forefront to safeguard against any abrupt changes in forex and to absorb the shocks,” dagdag pa nito.

Binanggit rin ni Speaker Romualdez ang kahalagahan na magresulta ang pagbabawas sa taripa sa pagkakaroon ng savings ng mga mamimili.

“We have engaged with retailers, including KADIWA stores for marginalized sectors and other retail outlets like Puregold, SM, and Robinsons, to ensure the reduction in prices. The lower tariffs will result in lower prices for imported rice, and these savings will be passed on to consumers,” sabi nito.

“This is not just a whole-of-government approach, but a whole-of-nation approach,” dagdag pa ng lider ng Kamara.

Tiniyak ni Speaker Romualdez na agad na mararamdaman ang epekto ng mas mababang taripa sa susunod na buwan, at sana ay bago ang ikatlong State of the Nation Address (SONA) sa Hulyo 22 ni Pangulong Marcos.

“We want this to happen as soon as possible. That’s why we’ve been meeting and we want this to be felt as soon as possible. Hindi pwede na aantok-antok tayo, patulog-tulog lang, we have to be always on the ball,” saad pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

Iginiit rin ng lider ng Kamara ang kahalagahan na mabilis na matugunan ang isyu dahil araw-araw umano itong nagpapahirap sa maraming Pilipino.

“Every day, as every Filipino family has to purchase, let’s say, two kilos of rice, we know and we can feel the hardships of our fellow Filipinos,” wika pa nito.

“That’s why we’ve sprung into action. We want to meet this head-on. Obviously, it would be very desirous for this to happen even before the SONA. And I don’t think it’s impossible. We will all try to work together to make it happen as soon as possible,” sabi pa ni Speaker Romualdez.