ROXAS: RICE CRISIS RESPONSE REQUIRES FULL TRANSPARENCY
CAUTIONS GOVERNMENT ON ANOMALIES IN FOOD PROGRAMS

Senator Mar Roxas reminded the government that it is not excused from the requirements of full transparency and accountability in addressing the rice crisis, and called upon sustained public vigilance against any anomalies.

"Responding to the rice and food crisis on one hand, and probing anomalies on the other, are not mutually exclusive. These should be done simultaneously. Checks and balances are needed at all times to ensure that whatever the government spends to address this crisis goes to the intended beneficiaries," he said.

"Hindi naman pwedeng, 'o, may krisis tayo sa pagkain, itigil na muna ang lahat ng imbestigasyon.' Dapat ngang tutukan ang krisis, pero hindi dapat gamitin ang krisis na pagkakataon para gumawa ng kababalaghan," he stressed.

The Liberal Party President pointed out that the administration insists there is no crisis yet, while admitting that prices will go further up. "What we need now is for the government to tell the people the real score, and walk them through a credible plan to deal with an escalating crisis, stage by stage," he said.

"Kaya hindi nakapagtataka na ang mga solusyon ng pamahalaan ay nakatutok sa pag-aalis ng mga pila sa palengke o paggamit ng mga sundalo sa pagba-biyahe ng bigas. Kaya hindi na rin nakapagtataka na wala pa tayong komprehensibong plano. Kasi sa sarili nila mismo, hindi nila maamin na may problema," he added.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce said that the government's recent actions in addressing the rice problem should and will be assessed for integrity and effectiveness. These include the spending of P50 billion; the rice importation program; and the distribution of rice access cards, among others.

Roxas said that at the same time, Congress must work on measures that would address both the short-term problem of diminished spending power of the people and the long-term need to increase domestic productivity.

Among these are Roxas' proposal to exempt minimum wage earners from paying income taxes, as found in SB No. 103; the proposed suspension of VAT on oil, under SB No. 1962; and an extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Law on the condition that this will truly benefit farmers.