Taking a longer look back on rice imports, palay, and rice prices
Most of the analysis done on the impact of the rice tariffication law make use of fairly recent data, as in what happened to rice imports, palay and rice prices in 2019. It may be useful to look slightly farther back, say in the last 10 to 15 years.
Finding our balance in modernizing our rice industry
Public support is shifting from rice consumers in 2018 to rice farmers this year. Last year, the country’s inflation rate breached Central Bank’s upper band. Analysts blamed that on rice price inflation, which carries among the largest weight in the consumer’s price index.
National interest versus world welfare
There is a saying. “All politics is local.” Hence, national policies are an expression of local policies. Last week’s topic about the Amazon fires and the danger to world environment is an indication of local politics coming to clash with world welfare issues.
Rainforests and the Amazon: economic development and the environment
The news of the week for environment watchers is the extensive Amazon fires. Burning forest lands in Brazil flashed across TV and has raised alarmed commentaries about global warming.
Prices of our favorite local fruits have become more expensive
There is a price phenomenon about native fruits in the food basket. Why have our favorite local fruits become much more expensive?
Rice tariffication problems and measures to deal with them
I don't see any evidence at this point that lawmakers of the 17th Congress made a big mistake passing this law.
Is rice tariffication working?
This year is special since this government did what several governments in the past did not dare do: liberalize rice imports
A successful case of Philippine agriculture
An obscure event that recognizes a foreigner in a recent university commencement exercise sets me to think about a brighter future for Philippine agriculture.
Will the real President please stand up?
A hundred million thank you’s to Conchita Carpio Morales and Albert del Rosario. For taking up the cudgels for more than a hundred million Filipinos who have stood helplessly by as China made inroads into Philippine territory and sovereignty over the past 20 or so years.
Managing change under the RTA law
There is urgency in issuing the IRRs. There is always time to refine the IRRs. Filipinos would certainly not be happy to see the IRRs in April or May only to find out also that rice prices would start to go up because there is not enough rice in the country today.
Ramon Magsaysay – an unfulfilled presidency
Ramon Magsaysay was at the peak of his popularity when the airplane he was riding crashed off Mount Manunggal in Cebu. It was near midnight of March 16, 1957 shortly after takeoff in clear weather. That crash need not have happened. Magsaysay was just nine months and a half short of finishing his first term...
Applause for the rice tariffication law
Kudos to President Duterte and to Congress. I mean it, Reader.
