With the 60-day rice import ban now in effect, farmers’ groups and advocates called for genuine agrarian reform amid limited relief brought by this temporary measure under the rice tariffication law (RTL).

The ban was implemented last September at the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as a short-term intervention to stabilize the supply and price of rice and support Filipino farmers.

Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG) Mindanao Regional Coordinator Leo XL Fuentes Jr. expressed that the ban’s impact has been minimal for both local farmers and consumers.

“The 60-day import ban is practically ineffective sa atoang agricultural economy as ga-continue gihapon ang mahal nga presyo sa bugas sa mga consumers at barato na presyo sa farmgate prices sa mga mag-uuma ng palay,” he said.

He described the ban as a “band-aid solution” towards the rice industry, connecting it to their earlier warnings to policymakers against the RTL.

“Prior to [the implementation of the RTL], we already warned policymakers that liberalizing the rice industry would not do anything good to our people, especially to our farmers. Yet, wala sila naminaw then gi-push ang [RTL]… So kani karon, [the ban] is clearly a band-aid solution.”

Fuentes further highlighted that the government is overlooking the problem, saying true solutions lie in fixing agriculture’s fundamentals and not in stopgap bans.

“Na miss nila ang pinaka important point, which is bisan maghatag pa kag import ban, kung ang mga fundamental na problem sa Philippine agriculture kay wala gyud nahatagan ug alibyo, mura tag nag expect ug milagro,” he stressed.

In light of recent discussions on the extension of the ban and the amendment of the RTL, Fuentes urged a sustainable approach that moves Philippine agriculture away from import dependence, citing a “vicious cycle” if it continues to persist.

“Kung gusto jud nato na i-strengthen ang farming industry, we need to veer away sa export-oriented ug import-dependent na agricultural economy… [and] promote sustainable agriculture. [Because] in the long run, kung import dependence gihapon, medyo mahikot ra gihapon ta ana vicious cycle,” he explained.

Calls for amendments to RTL 

Enacted in 2019, the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) or Republic Act No. 11203 was signed by former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to stabilize rice prices and supply and protect local farmers by liberalizing rice imports.

The National Food Authority (NFA) was also stripped of its rice importation role, having its regulatory and importation powers removed.

However, six years after its implementation, the RTL has drawn heavy criticisms for falling short of its intended goals in addressing the issues faced by the rice industry.

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Chairperson Danilo Ramos called on legislators to immediately repeal RTL due to its failure to serve its intended purpose in creating a competitive market for farmers. 

“RA 11203 has failed both farmers and consumers. It brought in an influx of cheap imported rice, drove down palay farmgate prices, and steadily eroded the country’s local rice industry,” Ramos proclaimed in a statement. 

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. asserted that the RTL, instead of a reform, has jeopardized the country’s rice industry by removing key agencies from their protective roles.

“Though crafted with noble goals, I have to admit, [the RTL] has faltered. By fully liberalizing rice imports, it unintentionally undermined the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA), stripping us of the ability to intervene and protect this most vital of commodities,”  Laurel said at a Senate hearing last month.

MASIPAG Mindanao Regional Coordinator Leo XL Fuentes Jr. echoed these concerns, pointing to liberalization as a driver behind the mass closure of rice mills and livelihood loss.

“Estimate of around 200,000 na mga rice mill ang nagsara… Kung lima ka tao ang ga operate per rice mill sa 200,000 ka rice mill nga nagsara, millions ang pamilya ang nayabuhan ug kaldero,” he shared.

Amid ongoing issues, Laurel appealed for key amendments to the law to restore the NFA’s regulatory and importation power to better safeguard the welfare of both farmers and consumers.

Editor’s Note: This article was first issued in the December 2025 First Semester Newsletter of Atenews.