Rice crisis is ‘utter dereliction of duty’

The blame for the soaring price of rice (and other commodities) in the country falls squarely on the government’s lap.

Sen. Cynthia Villar said there is no rice shortage, but most of the supply is in the hands of the traders (“Villar: Public anger to force admin action on agriculture execs,”  9/5/18).

This only means utter dereliction of duty on the part of the government, particularly the National Food Authority, which has miserably failed to procure large amounts of rice from our farmers in line with its primary function to ensure food security and maintain stable rice prices and supply.

The government now wants to solve the problem through rice importation and stop cartels from hoarding the supply.

But didn’t President Duterte promise during his campaign to end in three days the stranglehold of rice cartels over the supply of rice?

And did he not say in his recent State of the Nation Address that he knows who these rice hoarders, cartels and their protectors are, and even directed law enforcement agencies to bring them to justice?

We are not at the mercy of the cartels but of this government, which is now causing so much misery to our people.

SEVERO BRILLANTES, [email protected]