LET US AGAIN BECOME A NET EXPORTER OF RICE, AS WE HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE

LET US AGAIN BECOME A NET EXPORTER OF RICE, AS WE HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE We’ve just earned a title no Filipino should be proud of: the world’s top rice importer in 2024. That’s right—despite our rich agricultural heritage, ideal climate, and millions of rice farmers, we’ve overtaken everyone in buying what we used to grow ourselves. If this doesn’t ring alarm bells in the highest halls of power, then we may be deaf to our own national survival. A powerful new report from the Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF), co-authored by respected experts like Dr. Ted Mendoza—whom I know personally and fully vouch for—reveals how we ended up in this crisis. It isn’t just a matter of bad weather or unlucky pests. This is about bad policy and broken systems. We’re Not Just Losing Rice—We’re Losing Land Dr. Mendoza points to a painful truth: over half a million hectares of prime irrigated rice land have been converted into malls, subdivisions, factories, and highways. That’s enough to feed the nation and still export rice—if we had protected it. This is why I strongly believe it’s time for the government to ban the conversion of irrigated land into non-agricultural use. These lands are the heart of our food security. Losing them is like tearing out our own lungs and expecting to breathe. Just as we have protected our forests, marine sanctuaries, and national parks under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), we should pass a similar law—call it the National Irrigated Areas Protection System (NIAPS)—to give legal protection to all irrigated and productive farmland. Better yet, let’s make this part of the long-overdue National Land Use Act. This landmark law has been sleeping in Congress for years, and it's time for the Marcos administration to wake it up. From Rice Sufficiency to Rice Surplus We need to stop thinking of rice imports as “normal” or “necessary.” They are not. They are a symptom of policy failure. What we need instead is a long-term target for rice sufficiency—and beyond that, rice surplus. We should be able to export high-quality, Filipino-grown rice to the world again. And to do that, we must complete the agrarian reform process not just by handing out land, but by making that land productive. Every land reform beneficiary deserves access to irrigation, farm-to-market roads, modern tools, and reliable support services. In places where freshwater is scarce, the government must now invest in desalination technology. This isn’t science fiction—it’s already being done in countries with far fewer water resources than ours. With today’s climate challenges, water security is food security. Let’s Listen to Our Scientists The government must not operate in an echo chamber of bureaucrats. There are experts like Dr. Mendoza who have spent decades studying the science and economics of rice. He, and others like him, should be actively consulted in crafting national strategy. In fact, let’s mobilize all Filipino scientists who can contribute to solving the rice crisis—from soil experts to irrigation engineers, from crop breeders to GIS technologists. Speaking of which, why don’t we already have a national digital map of all irrigated lands? Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology, we can map, monitor, and protect these vital areas from being lost to speculative real estate. The Real Enemy: Policy Neglect and Cartels The IRDF report is damning! Not only are farmers struggling with pests and floods, but many felt that they were abandoned by the National Food Authority, which reportedly refused to buy their produce as promised. Worse, farmgate prices have plummeted to just P11 to P12 per kilo, while it costs at least P17 to P18 to produce. No wonder farmers are quitting, and the youth want nothing to do with agriculture. Add to that the rice cartels, who hoard, manipulate prices, and entrap farmers in debt. This is not a free market. This is a captured market. And it’s bleeding both producers and consumers dry. The 2019 Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) was supposed to make rice affordable. It did not. It instead devastated local production. It’s time to replace RTL with a new law—the Rice Industry Sustainable Development Act (RISDA)—focused on self-reliance, climate resilience, and equitable market reforms. We also need a legally mandated support price—at least P25 per kilo of palay—so our farmers can survive, invest in their land, and inspire a new generation to plant rice, not abandon it. It’s Not Too Late, But It Soon Will Be Food security is not a matter of policy convenience—it’s a national security issue. If we cannot feed ourselves, we become vulnerable to the whims of foreign suppliers, volatile markets, and geopolitical instability. The Marcos administration must act boldly and swiftly. Declare irrigated rice lands as protected areas. Pass the National Land Use Act. Set a course for rice sufficiency and surplus. Consult scientists. Protect farmers. Break the monopolies. We are not just losing rice—we are losing our sovereignty. But with the right vision and the right policies, we can still reclaim it. Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com 07-21-2025