Senator Calls for Passage of Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law
In a recent statement, Senator Cynthia Villar urged for the immediate passage of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law to protect rice farmers and consumers from exploitation by middlemen and traders.
Villar pointed out that despite the passing of Senate Bill 2432, also known as the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act, in December 2023 and its certification as urgent by President Marcos, the National Food Authority (NFA) has failed to properly oversee the welfare of farmers and consumers.
She emphasized the crucial role of the NFA in maintaining food security and stability by managing the supply and distribution of rice. Villar highlighted the importance of the NFA focusing on acquiring, maintaining, and distributing rice for buffer stocking from local farmers and for calamity assistance.
With an annual budget of P9 billion for local procurement, Villar stressed the urgency of implementing the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law to prevent middlemen and traders from causing harm to farmers and consumers.
Recently, reports surfaced regarding the irregular sale of NFA stocks to selected commercial traders without undergoing a proper bidding process, resulting in a loss of P12,500,000 for the government. This led to the suspension of 139 NFA officials on March 4, based on an order from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Despite the efforts of several senators, including JV Ejercito and Imee Marcos, to address the issue through various resolutions, the bills have remained stalled in the Blue Ribbon committee.
The proposed legislation aims to impose severe sanctions on smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartel activities related to agricultural and fishery products to protect farmers’ livelihoods, combat economic sabotage, and safeguard the welfare of consumers and the economy as a whole.
