Raise palay support, MRT fare
The price of NFA (National Food Authority-supplied) rice, the projected increase in the MRT fare and the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) are today’s hot issues. As an ordinary government employee and a concerned citizen, I believe it is time to increase the price support of palay from the present P18/kilo to P20/kilo, and at the same time to reduce the subsidy on rice at the selling price—from P32/kilo to P27/kilo. The twin moves would make us self-sufficient in rice as they will encourage farmers to plant more and assure them that the farm gate price of palay will be high. Too much subsidy on rice has dampened the farm gate prices of palay.
On the other hand, I am not in favor of abolishing the PDAF or pork barrel; I would suggest that it be released only to government agencies (not nongovernment organizations) tasked to implement the projects they are funding. After all, the PDAF is a government fund, and it should follow that only the government and its instrumentalities should implement PDAF-funded projects. The Commission on Audit and the local government unit where the PDAF-funded project will be implemented will be responsible for the monitoring of the project.
It is also high time to reduce (not abolish) the subsidy on the MRT fare, which at present is the cheapest in the world, to a reasonable level, so that part of the present subsidy can be used to buy more MRT coaches and improve roads in Metro Manila.
—JOSE TAGANAHAN,
