THREE WAYS THE GOVERNMENT CAN REGULATE RICE IMPORTATION WHILE CONFORMING WITH WTO RULES AND THE RICE TARIFFICATION LAW
Transcript of Senator Imee Marcos inquiry
Senate hearing of committees on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform and Ways and Means

"There are non-trade measures that are recognized by WTO (World Trade Organization). Kaya wag natin gagawing dahilan na sabit tayo sa WTO."

"For example, itong hinihingi namin na 90-day prohibition before harvest eh kung maaari sabihin natin na specific seasonal ban that we need to develop and support mga depressed rural communities whose main income derives form rice. Pag ganun ka-specific, walang masasabi ang WTO. Hindi NTB (non-tariff barrier) yan. Kaya wag tayong papa-andaran ng kung sino na bawal yan. Hindi yan bawal. Ilalagay natin na very specific for the protection and development of rural. Magaling po kayo dyan, kayang-kaya."

"Ikalawa, yung sinasabi ng ating chairwoman (Sen. Cynthia Villar) na phytosanitary invocation. Eto na yung mga SBS (simultaneous buy and sell). Ang galing-galing ng ating mga kapitbahay. May tinatawag na nga na diplomatic terrorism o trade terrorism dahil dyan. Eh gamitin ung SBS. Ginawa na yan sa ating banana, sa ating pinya. Eh bakit hindi naman tayo gumagawa niyan sa rice? Kasi alam rin natin may depekto rin yung pinapadala rito. Nakita rin naman natin yung itsura ng ibang shipment."

"Ikatlo, meron pang iba, yung TBT o technical barriers to trade. We can always invoke that, yung mga technical barriers to trade, na hindi pwede kasi di makapasok, may bagyo, may transport issues. Magaling din yung ibang bansa dyan. Bakit tayo bukas na bukas, hindi tayo nag-iinvoke ng TBT kahit minsan?"

"So tatlo po yan puwede niyo i-invoke. Wag natin sabihin na yung seasonal prohibition is under the WTO. Pasok pa rin yan sa rice tarrification law!"

Glossary:

NTB. Non-tariff barrier. Trade barriers other than tariffs, as quotas, embargoes, sanctions, and levies. - Investopedia

SBS. Simultaneous buy and sell. "Under the SBS system, the Food Agency conducts a kind of auction. Prospective importing firms specify what the markup (the difference between the price at which they sell the rice to the Food Agency and the price at which they later buy it back from the Food Agency) will be, as well as the quantity and type of rice involved." - U.S. Department of Agriculture

TBT. Technical barriers to trade. Methods like product testing and certification procedures applied to assess that an exported product meets foreign regulations. - World Trade Organization