March 2019 3 DA Consults Stakeholders to Finalize Drafting of Rice Trade Liberalization Law
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The Official Publication of the Department of Agriculture - Regional Field Office 1 DAMAGVolume 18, Issue 1 | January - March 2019 3 DA consults stakeholders to finalize drafting of Rice Trade Liberalization Law 4 Ilocos Region hosts 8th NRTF 6 DA-RFO I builds meaningful partnership with Piddig officials 8 DA-INREC leads research to increase Ilocos garlic prod’n 9 AMIA project reaches Solsona farmers This quarter’s cover was taken at one of 10 Farmers clamor for Carrageenan PGP the sites of the on-going Carrageenan to increase rice prod’n project being conducted by the DA- RFO 1’s Research Division in Vintar, Ilocos Norte. This is just one of the 11 Ilocos stakeholders get updates on interventions of DA in pursuit to a Biotech 101, Joint Department Circular competitive Philippine rice industry. 12 DA-RFO I engages farmers in organic soybean research 14 IS farmers see brighter prospects with DA’s corn model farm 16 Groundbreaking ceremonies for Crops R&D Center held 17 EdSeCom members talk on Ilocos’ economic status 18 IN farmers receive livestock; Multiplier Farm launched 19 RED Alviar meets ManCom members for Operational Planning Workshop 20 DA-Ilocos takes pride for being number 1 Lucrecio R. Alviar, Jr., CESO III Consuelo N. Belarmino Regional Executive Director Chief, Integrated Laboratories Division 20 Malasakit Help Desk for Ilocos Orlando J. Lorenzana Florentino A. Adame, DVM farmers launched RTD for Research and Regulations Chief, Regulatory Division DA turns-over Php13.5M-worth Erlinda F. Manipon Joel G. Maconocido 21 OIC, RTD for Operations OIC, Administrative and Finance Division facility to LGU Tayug Anne Q. Bares, DVM Dennis I. Tactac, RPAE Chief, Field Operations Division Head, Regional Agricultural Engineering Division 21 Movers MPC receives P6M-worth RPC Jovita M. Datuin, Ph.D Constancia R. Diaz, DVM Chief, Research and Development Division Head, Pangasinan Research and Experiment Center Mr. Joey Ramos: Doris Joy C. Garcia Wilma A. Ibea 22 Chief, Planning, Monitoring and Head, Ilocos Norte Research and Region I’s nominee to the Search for Evaluation Division Experiment Center Outstanding Seed Innovator - Seed Wilhelmina P. Castañeda Grower Category Chief, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division DA consults stakeholders to finalize drafting of Rice Trade Liberalization Law ‘ he Rice Tariffication Law has Piñol informed that possible impact of producing provinces in the country and been signed, we understand your imported rice influx in the markets would the creation of national ID system for worries but I assure you, DA is here decrease wholesale price of milled rice individual farmers to properly monitor Tand we will respond to your needs.’ from an average of P42.25 to P35.31 kg. and interventions given to them. This is the reassuring statement of lower farm gate price of rice from P20.93 Meanwhile, Sec Piñol also mentioned Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol to P16.94. positive side of the implementation of the to the rice industry stakeholders during “Let us discuss together what we can Rice Tariffication Law where a P10 billion the Consultation on RA 11203 also known do outside the Tariffication law. We have fund will be appropriated annually for the as the Rice Trade Liberalization Law held to proceed. We cannot abandon our rice next six years following the approval of the at the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in industry because it is our basic staple Act to support farmers through the Rice Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. RA 11203 provides food,” urged Sec. Piñol amidst farmers' Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF). the drafting of Implementing Rules and uncertainty of whether producing rice With the implementation of RA 11203, Regulations (IRR) within 45 days from the would still be viable since they now have the NFA has been stripped off of its effectivity of the Act, in consultation with to compete with cheap imported rice in regulatory and licensing powers/functions stakeholders. the market. as the Food Safety Act has now been given The RA 11203 has been signed into law Sec Piñol gave assurance of various to the BPI as the implementing authority. by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte on February 14, strategies now being crafted by DA to help NFA has now been tasked primarily to 2019 which has now opened the Philippine rice farmers be competitive and more maintain and manage buffer stocking of market to imported rice. Under said law, productive to cushion the adverse effect rice supply to be sourced solely from local anybody can import rice without having of the Rice Tariffication Law. What DA rice farmers. to get import permit from the National will do he said is to focus in improving During the consultation, rice Food Authority (NFA). They need only to competitiveness & farm income of farmer leaders and LGU rice program secure Sanitary & Phytosanitary Import farmers, enhance resiliency to disasters implementers expressed their concerns Clearance (SPIC) from the Bureau of Plant and climate risks and ensure access to on how they can cope with the effect of the Industry (BPI) then pay corresponding safe & nutritious rice. To implement Tariffication law. They gave suggestions importation fee to the Bureau of Customs. this, various core supports will be given and recommendations to be possibly With this scenario, rice farmers, rice on irrigation, input subsidy, capability included in the RA 11203 IRR that could and feed millers and small rice traders enhancement trainings, easier access to somehow safeguard the interest of the rice in the country now fear that influx of credit, improvement of farm to market stakeholders and the entire rice industry cheap imported rice in the market would roads, provision of crop insurance support, of the country amidst the looming threat significantly affect their income. among many others. He also specifically of massive imported rice influx in the In his presentation of data from the mentioned the establishment of Solar Philippine market.// Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA), Sec. Powered Irrigation System in major rice 1ST QUARTER 2019 DAMAG-AGRI 3 Ilocos Region hosts 8th NRTF housands of rice farmers and extension providers both from private ang kailangan ng ating mga magsasaka industry stakeholders from all sector and government as they learn and ay binhi at pataba. Kaya naman nasa over the country gathered in be informed on the latest technologies Russia ngayon ang ating Kalihim Manny TAsingan, Pangasinan on March 20- in rice production and witness the Piñol upang makipag negotiate sa pagbili 22,2019 to participate in the 8th National differences of each rice variety adopting ng fertilizer, bukod pa sa paghahanap ng Rice Technology Forum hosted by DA different seeding rate, distance of investment opportunities sa mga produktong Ilocos Region. planting, and how each showcased areas niyog,” Villacorta informed. Participants, especially the farmers, would differ in yield per hectare during Villacorta likewise mentioned the benefited in getting a first-hand harvest. strategies being polished by DA through experience from the field demo of DA Assistant Secretary Designate for the Rice Industry Road Map that is various rice technologies highlighting Operations, Agribusiness and Marketing, now being crafted to help cushion the the use of hybrid rice varieties seen at the Dr. Andrew Villacorta represented DA impact of the Rice Tariffication Law. He 37.5-hectare demo area at Brgys. Bactad Secretary Emmanuel Piñol as the Guest mentioned that the low price of palay in East, Urdaneta City and Domampot, of Honor and Speaker. the market at present is not yet a direct Asingan in the province of Pangasinan. In his message during the opening effect of the rice Tariffication law as the An activity led by the Rice Board program, ASec Villacorta informed law is yet to be fully implemented upon and the Department of Agriculture- the participants about the P52 billion approval of its Implementing Rules and Regional Field Office I in collaboration proposed budget of DA for CY 2020 which Regulations (IRR). with the Provincial Government Unit is ten times higher than the current DA ‘Ang ating Kalihim po ay ginagawa lahat of Pangasinan and the City/Municipal allocation. ng paraan para ang ating mga magsasaka Government of Urdaneta and Asingan, This bold move was made by Sec. ng palay ay lubos na matulungan. We the conduct of the techno forum was Piñol upon the instruction of President will focus on improving the quality of also in tandem with 14 participating seed Duterte. Asec Villacorta expressed high palay produced by farmers, we will help and fertilizer companies that showcased hopes that the Department of Budget them increase their yield and lower their technologies with the use of hybrid and Management (DBM) would consider their cost of production through various and high quality inbred seeds, fertilizer the proposal. interventions so they can still compete and nutrient management featuring Villacorta also mentioned DA’s in the marketing of their rice produce,’ manual transplanting, mechanical and National Fertilizer Support Program Villacorta added. direct seeding. upon the marching order of President Meanwhile, to provide the techno- The three-day rice techno forum also Rodrigo Duterte using the plant now pay forum participants with the latest provided an avenue for rice farmers and later or roll-over scheme. programs, projects and services of DA other stakeholders to interact with agri- “Mismong ang President ang nagsabi na and other major agencies relative to the 4 DAMAG-AGRI 1ST QUARTER