Three years after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to enhance the country’s food security, seven of his agriculture-related promises are still in progress, five have been fulfilled and three priority legislations were stuck in limbo.
As Filipinos grapple with rising food prices and food insecurity, how can Roberto Ballon, Ronnel Arambulo and Danilo Ramos prove that farmers and fishers deserve a spot in the Senate?
All agriculture-related pledges from Marcos' 2023 SONA are in progress, while two from his first SONA in 2022 remain unfulfilled.
Asked during a briefing if the cap has failed to bring down rice prices given the high inflation rate, PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa said, “This is a research question that researchers would study based on the data that we are collecting.”
Nang tanungin sa isang briefing kung nabigo ang price cap na ibaba ang mga presyo ng bigas dahil mataas pa ang inflation rate, sinabi ni PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa, "Ito ay isang tanong sa pananaliksik na pag-aaralan ng mga mananaliksik batay sa mga datos na aming kinokolekta."
The price cap on rice took effect nationwide on Sept. 5 despite drawing flak from some lawmakers, economists and farmers’ groups.
Ang pinakahuling ulat ng price index mula sa Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) ng United Nations ay nagpapakita na ang All Rice Price index ay tumaas noong Agosto 2023 na umabot sa 142.4 puntos, na 9.8% na mas mataas kaysa sa nakaraang buwan at 31.2% higit pa kaysa sa halaga nito noong nakaraang taon.
No matter how high one's awareness is about the importance of eating nutritious food, it becomes useless when prices are unaffordable.
Tumaas ang presyo ng lokal na bigas mula nang ipatupad ang Rice Tariffication law noong Marso 2019.
Since the Rice Tariffication Law was enacted in March 2019, local rice prices have gone up.