Presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman on Wednesday said he will repeal the Rice Tariffication Law if he becomes president.
In the Bakit Ikaw: The DZRH Presidential Job Interview, De Guzman said the law killed the livelihoods of farmers and plunged the prices of grains.
"Ako dun sa Rice Tariffication Law na nagpahintulot sa halos unlimited na pag-iimport ng bigas, na pumatay sa ating mga magsasaka, nagpabagsak sa presyo ng palay, automatic 'yan ipare-repeal ko yung batas na 'yun," he said.
(On the Rice Tariffication Law which allowed the almost unlimited importation of rice, killed farmers, and plunged the prices of grain, it is automatic: I will repeal that law.)
According to De Guzman, the law only favors rich rice importers but leaves behind 11 million farmers in the Philippines.
The Rice Tariffication Law, or Republic Act No. 11203, was passed in 2019 and allowed more room for the importation of rice, but with charged tariffs of 35% on grain imported from Southeast Asia.
