Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros is seeking the review of the implementation of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law in the country. 

Hontiveros on Thursday filed Senate Resolution 956, directing the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, to lay the groundwork for an “evidence-based, consultative and comprehensive review” of the implementation of RA11203.

Hontiveros said the inquiry will enhance the implementation of the RTL in the remaining period of its expiration in 2025. 

“To facilitate the conduct of this review, preliminary investigations are needed to determine its scope and identify other important standards for its effectiveness in addition to the primary benchmark of farmers' income stated in the IRR (implementing rules and regulations),” Hontiveros wrote in the resolution. 

“These investigations will also aid in enhancing the implementation of the RTL in the period remaining till its expiration in 2025,” she added.

The law liberalized rice importation, exportation, and trading by lifting quantitative import restrictions on rice.

The RTL also created the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or RCEF with an annual appropriation of P10 billion for six years.

Hontiveros, however, noted that rice smuggling has led to considerable revenue losses of around P7.2 billion last year with the government losing additional tariff revenue due to undervaluation and misclassification of rice imports.

Citing the 2021 Financial Inclusion Survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Hontiveros lamented that only 14 percent of the estimated 10 million farmers and fisherfolk in the country are registered in the Registry of Basic Sectors in Agriculture while seven out of ten farmers remained unbanked.

“Be it further resolved that this process be consultative, and engage with rice stakeholders, listening to business models, and considering diverse procurement approaches to ensure the RTL fulfills its objectives of enhancing the competitiveness of the rice sector and ensuring food security for the nation,” Hontiveros stressed.