House Speaker Romualdez welcomes NFA rice price cuts but calls for fair compensation for farmers

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez welcomed the decision to sell National Food Authority (NFA) rice at P35 per kilogram but emphasized the importance of fair income for farmers.

Romualdez noted that while ensuring affordable rice prices is crucial, it must be balanced with fair compensation for farmers' efforts and sustained local production.

The House leader urged the Department of Agriculture and NFA to coordinate closely with Congress to implement the price cap without discouraging local production or negatively impacting farmers.

Starting Wednesday, RFA5 rice will drop to PHP43/kg., RFA25 to PHP35/kg., and RFA100 to PHP33/kg., while aging but good-quality rice will be sold at P29/kg. for vulnerable sectors.

Romualdez stressed the need for additional government interventions, such as subsidies or targeted assistance programs, if necessary to sustain local production and ensure farmer welfare.

He reiterated that continuous assessment of the policy's impact is crucial to prevent adverse effects on any sector and maintain food security that benefits both farmers and consumers.