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 Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. blamed the rice crisis yesterday on the government’s policy of “massive importation” of the basic staple and on its failure to modernize agriculture.

“It is more lucrative to import rice than to produce it. There is no compulsion to make the country self-sufficient in rice,” he told reporters.

He said this is the reason why the government did not fully implement the 10-year modernization program embodied in the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997, for which Congress had appropriated a total of P145 billion on top of nearly P44 billion in annual operating budget of the Department of Agriculture.

Asked who is making money in rice importation, the former speaker said it is common knowledge that corrupt officials and their patrons pocket huge commissions involved in rice imports.

This year, President Arroyo has ordered that a total of two million metric tons (40 million 50-kilo bags) of rice be imported.

De Venecia said the same corrupt officials and their patrons benefit from rampant rice smuggling in Northern Luzon, Subic, Manila, Cebu, and Mindanao.

“Rice smuggling is the result of our failure to attain rice self-sufficiency, which also perpetuates the policy of massive importation of rice,” he said.

De Venecia lamented that despite the appropriation of billions yearly for AFMA projects, the government failed to modernize agriculture, especially rice production.

He said a large part of the money was obviously misspent.

Data released by the House committee on agriculture chaired by Palawan Rep. Abraham Mitra last week showed that in 1997, Congress appropriated P14.5 billion to improve agricultural production, principally rice since it is the national staple that is directly linked to food security.

Some P12.9 billion was set aside in 1998, P11.6 billion in l999, P16.6 billion in 2000, P11.4 billion in 2001, P14.4 billion in 2002, P12.1 billion in 2003, P9.4 billion in 2004, P10.3 billion in 2005, P11.5 billion in 2006, and P20.4 billion in 2007.

As operation funds of the Department of Agriculture, Congress appropriated a total of P43.8 billion over the same period.

De Venecia said with the expenditure of nearly P190 billion for agricultural modernization, the country should be self-sufficient in rice by now.

He said the government should account for the money.

Asked what is the solution to the rice crisis, he said while rice importation is a temporary remedy, the long-term answer to the country’s rice requirements is still “massive production of rice.”

He said the nation has to go into a rice production program similar to the late President Ferdinand Marcos’ Masagana 99 with the necessary irrigation support and assistance to farmers.

“That is the only way we can put an end to rice importation and smuggling, because then, it will not be lucrative to import and smuggle the staple,” he stressed.

In a related development, Mitra urged Mrs. Arroyo to appoint a deputy ombudsman for agriculture.

He said since there is a deputy Ombudsman in the military, “one may be needed in the agriculture sector considering the fact that farm spending is now bigger than defense spending.”

He projected that for rice imports alone, the government would spend P62 billion this year, an amount bigger than the defense department’s budget of P51 billion this year.

He said since Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap cannot watch over each and every transaction is his agency, which is composed of nine bureaus, 10 attached corporations and 14 regional field offices, a watchdog can probably make deals aboveboard.

Duque, Palace sabotaging forum

De Venecia has accused Malacañang and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III of sabotaging the Mass and forum for truth that administration critics are set to hold in Dagupan City tomorrow.

“The people of Secretary Duque and Albert Balingit, who are both from Dagupan, have been tearing down streamers and posters announcing the Mass and forum,” the former speaker told reporters.

“But it is really Malacañang that is behind the move to prevent this event from taking place,” he said.

However, he said despite such effort, the Mass and forum for truth will take place tomorrow as scheduled.

The Mass will be officiated by Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, an arch critic of President Arroyo. Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., star witness in the Senate’s national broadband network investigation, will speak in the forum afterwards.

De Venecia, whose district covers Dagupan City, said Balingit is a director of Landbank, and whose son Brian is an assistant secretary in the Department of Agriculture.

He said the Duque-Balingit teams “have been at work at night when nobody was looking.”

“But they cannot really prevent people from going to the Mass and forum. Neither can they suppress the truth,” he said.

He said he has been invited to attend the Mass and forum, but he is leaving for South Korea today with his wife for a speaking engagement.

“Besides, we do not want the event to be tainted with politics,” he added.

Interviewed by radio station dzMM, Bishop Cruz confirmed that Duque and Balingit’s people have been tearing down streamers and posters for the Mass and forum for truth.

“That is the information that we’ve been getting,” he said.

He said the Mass and forum would be held at the Dagupan Astrodome, whose use has been allowed by City Mayor Alipio Fernandez.

He said Fernandez, apparently due to pressure from Malacañang, wanted to withdraw his approval of their request to use the facility.

However, he added that he insisted that the mayor stick to his approval of their request.



source: Phil Headlines News.com

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