Bella Cariaso – The Philippine Star 

MANILA, Philippines — Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) has filed a petition before the Tariff Commission asking that the 35 percent tariff on imported rice be restored, arguing that Executive Order 62, which lowered the tariff on outsourced staple to 15 percent, did not result in lower retail prices.

In a petition addressed to Tariff Commission Chairperson Marilou Mendoza, SINAG chairman Rosendo So noted that the decision of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to declare a food security emergency was an admission “of the Office of the President on the failure of EO 62 in reducing rice prices.”

“This is to formalize our petition for the reinstatement of the tariffs on rice to its original rate of 35 percent to ASEAN countries and 50 percent to non-ASEAN countries by repealing EO 62,” So said.

He noted that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) also acknowledged that EO 62 has not resulted in a reduction in rice prices.

“The House of Representatives’ quinta committee, citing the Philippine Statistics Authority data, said that domestic rice prices have risen from P51 per kilo in July 2024 to P55.30 per kilo in December 2024, even as the landed price of imported rice dropped by P11 per kilo,” So said, adding that the gap between landed and domestic prices widened drastically, from P3 per kilo in 2023 to P20 per kilo in 2024.

“The quinta committee also reported that importers and traders collectively profited a staggering P13 billion after rice import tariffs were slashed from 35 percent to 15 percent under EO 62. All these are more than enough reasons for the repeal of EO 62,” he added.

The Office of the President has tasked the NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque to make a recommendation after SINAG wrote a letter to President Marcos asking him to repeal EO 62.

In a letter addressed to both Balisacan and Roque, Deputy Executive Secretary for General Administration Naealla Bainto Aguinaldo cited the letter of So requesting for the issuance of an executive order repealing EO 62.

Roque and Balisacan are the chairperson and co-chairperson of the Committee on Tariff and Related Matters, respectively.

In response to the Office of the Deputy Secretary’s directive, Balisacan referred the issue to Tariff Commission chair Mendoza.

“We would like to refer to your office the Jan. 23, 2025 letter from the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for General Administration, transmitting the request of SINAG. Particularly, SINAG is requesting the reinstatement of the tariffs on rice to its original rate of 35 percent to ASEAN countries and 50 percent to non-ASEAN countries by repealing EO No. 62,” Balisacan said in his letter to Mendoza.

Farmers’ groups led by SINAG had opposed the implementation of EO 62 after Marcos signed it in June 2024 in an effort to bring down the cost of the staple.

Tiu Laurel was forced to implement a maximum suggested retail price on rice in an effort to lower the cost of the grains.

On Feb. 4, he also declared a food security emergency in an effort to authorize the release of the rice stocks of the National Food Authority to help tame the prices of the grains.

Published Date: March 10, 2025