Genuine land reform will lead to rice self-sufficiency

President Duterte’s position against the importation of rice continues to provoke negative responses from the country’s probusiness economists, even those within his Cabinet.

These economists argue that while the government must continue to support domestic agriculture, it must be open to importation because the country remains far from being self-sufficient in rice production. And they also suggest that the private sector must be allowed to engage in rice importation. Their position is contrary to the current policy under which only government can import rice and solely through the National Food Authority.

In this debate, the stand of President Duterte has more wisdom. Private importation of rice will surely flood the market with imported rice—to the detriment of the country’s farmers. Worse, it will kill our farmers and most likely lead to the creation of a monopoly wherein a few big capitalists have full control over rice importation and pricing, thus putting most Filipinos at a disadvantage.

Making the government the country’s sole rice importer is more consistent with the primary policy of supporting domestic rice production and agriculture.

To get to the bottom of the debate, we say: The Philippines can work toward being self-sufficient in rice. Only through self-sufficiency in rice can we refute the detractors of President Duterte’s anti-importation stand.

The peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front are making progress on the issues of land reform and rural development. In the last round of their peace talks, land reform through free distribution of agricultural lands to farmers was agreed on by both parties.

The government should uphold this commitment in the peace talks. It should carry out genuine land reform and provide all the support our farmers need. It should encourage rice production and aim at self-sufficiency in rice.

Genuine land reform will provide numerous incentives for the country’s farmers to produce more and meet the country’s rice demands.

Free land distribution to tillers is an important component of this program as it will liberate a great number of our poor farmers from the bondage and exploitation of the compraderos and landlords.

It will give them the earnings that, under current land ownership conditions, are being pocketed by the country’s parasitic landlords. More than food security, we should strive for food sovereignty where control over food production are in the hands of the Filipino people.

Free land distribution was one of the demands our workers aired in the Labor Day commemoration last May 1.

ELMER “KA BONG” LABOG, chair, Kilusang Mayo Uno, kilusangmayouno@gmail.com