Senators urge Duterte to withdraw EO 135 on rice tariffs

Five senators filed Senate Resolution 726 urging President Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw Executive Order 135, which temporarily reduced rice import tariffs.

The resolution, filed by Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Nancy Binay, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Pangilinan, states there is no sufficient basis for the tariff reduction.

They argue that the lower tariffs will harm local farmers, increase import dependency, and result in significant foregone government revenues.

Malacañang justified EO 135 by citing rising prices of imported rice and supply uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Malacañang to recall EO 135, saying this will burden Filipino rice farmers and introduce uncertainty that can derail much-needed production and income recovery in the rice sector.

She appealed that the farmers are slowly recovering and that their income recovery should not be hindered.

Executive Order No. 135, signed by President Duterte on May 15, reduced the Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff rates for imported rice from 40 percent to 35 percent.