SEN. Robinhood Padilla on Wednesday filed Senate Bill (SB) 231 that will provide scholarship and health services for farmer-beneficiaries of Republic Act 11203 or “Rice Tariffication Law.”

“This measure also proposes to increase the amount earmarked for RCEF (Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund) from P10 billion annually to P15 billion to aid our farmers in reducing the rice production cost while increasing farmer incomes. In addition to the proposed amendments, this representation proposes that 10 percent of the RCEF shall be made available for scholarship, health and other similar benefits for the rice fund beneficiaries,” Padilla said of his bill.

He noted that legal loopholes allowed the entry of cheap imported rice into the country that forced local farmers to lower the price of their produce.

He lamented that the P10billion annual RCEF for farm mechanization, seed development, propagation and promotion, and credit assistance and extension services failed to bring down production costs for Filipino farmers.

Among the amendments Padilla proposed in his bill include allowing the export of rice except during harvest season; increasing the RCEF from P10 billion to P15 billion a year for the next six years; allocating 20 percent of the Rice Fund for rice seed development, propagation and promotion; and allocating 10 percent of the Rice Fund for the scholarship, health and other benefits for farmer-beneficiaries.

“With this representation’s hope to plug the loopholes of RA 11203 or the ‘Rice Tariffication Law’,” the passage of this measure is earnestly sought,” he said.