NATIONAL Security Adviser Eduardo Año yesterday expressed support for the plan of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to declare a food security emergency to address high rice prices.
“The country’s food security is a national interest,” said Año, adding that food security is a major component of the Marcos administration’s 15-point national security agenda as outlined in the 2023 National Security Policy.
He said food security is articulated in the 2024 National Security Strategy which mandates the government’s role in ensuring food availability, accessibility, affordability, and safety.
“As such, we support the declaration of a food security emergency by the Department of Agriculture to reduce the price of rice in the country,” said Año.
The DA earlier said it may declare a food security emergency this week. The National Price Coordinating Council earlier recommended the declaration of “food security emergency for rice” due to continuing high prices of the staple.
Año said the Agriculture Secretary, under the law, can declare a food security emergency if there is an extraordinary increase in the price of rice or if there is a rice shortage in the country.
He noted that while rice supply is sufficient, the grain’s price remains “artificially high despite declining global costs and tariff reductions ordered by the President.”
“The Department of Agriculture therefore is well within its authority to effectively regulate and reduce the price to protect the interests of the public,” Año said as he called on market actors to be one with the government in the endeavor.
Año warned that profiteering from a food security emergency, politicizing the issue for partisan political interest, and other malicious activities “will cause more harm to the Filipino people.”
“Now is not the time for more profits. Now is the time to put the country first. Let us all remain committed to this effort with the same spirit and dedication we have always shown to bolster our collective security as a nation,” he said.
