URDANETA CITY, PANGASINAN – The Department of Agriculture (DA) led the celebration of the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL) 1st Anniversary last March 5, 2019 at the Urdaneta City Cultural and Sports Center. More than 600 farmers, and hundreds of workforce from bureaus and line agencies of DA, together with various local government units of Region I attended the event.
Agricultural Training Institute Director Alfredo Aton presented the accomplishment report of the extension component of RTL during the celebration. “Ito po ang aming accomplishments as of February 24, 2020. Sa training of trainers, nagkaroon na tayo ng 76 batches with 2,579 trainees; sa training of farmers, may 17 batches with 505 farmers trained and ongoing ang 799 batches; sa info caravan and techno briefings, 67% na or 4,553 and 418 farmers briefed; 2 batches naman sa school on-the-air with 81 farmers graduated; sa learning sites, may 25 farm schools o learning institutions established kung saan 318 na ang existing farm schools/learning institutions nationwide,” Dir. Aton imparted to the crowd. He also presented the plans and programs of the extension component of RTL for 2020 to 2024.
Guest of Honor and Speaker, Senator Cynthia Villar, shared RTL’s provisions to the farmers, and gave an inspiring talk during the celebration. “Mula ngayon, bibigyan na kayo ng libreng makina mula sa Department of Agriculture. Five billion per year for the next six (6) years na makina ang ipamimigay,” Sen. Villar said. According to statistics, there are a total number of 947 rice producing towns in the Philippines. All these rice producing towns were promised to be given machineries. “All the municipalities of Pangasinan will be given machineries as well,” Sen. Villar added.
Sen. Villar also encouraged the farmers to adopt and promote the use of good and certified seeds as part of the Seed Program of RTL. “Pag maganda ang inyong seeds, maganda ang inyong ani. Pag maganda ang ani, malaki ang inyong kita,” she stated.
She also mentioned that farmers need not borrow from informal lenders who charge high interest rates. Instead, they can apply for loan at the Landbank of the Philippines (LBP), and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), which now have minimal interest rates in support to the Credit Program of RTL.
Villar likewise urged the farmers to join Farmer Field School (FFS), which is accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to fully adopt technologies in farming. “Mag-aral kayo nang libre para matutunan kung paano paandarin ang makina,” she said. She believed that the farmers who learn from FFS and adopt the skills in using these technologies will help them become more competitive, and to operate their farms more efficiently.
“Lahat ng change, mayroong adjustment period”, Sec. Villar emphasized. Aside from the multiple loans offered with affordable interest, the DA also gives cash condition transfer to the farmers until they will get to adjust to these changes for six (6 six) years.
Our government is continously creating programs to sustain the implementation of RTL in the country. The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) or Rice Fund was created under the RTL to help farmers reduce their production cost and increase their gains.
Sec. Villar is confident that through RTL, Filipino farmers will be globally competitive especially among the Southeast Asian nations.