By Danilo Reyes
Letter to the Editor - Philippine Daily Inquirer
The reactions to the reports on the rice shortage are exaggerated. While the “haves” are worried that they might no longer be able to buy rice, the “have-nots” have long been dying from hunger and starvation, unable to buy rice or any food to eat. My wife’s parents and siblings, who spent all their lives growing rice, had to eat rice porridge, boiled green leafy vegetables and root crops. They were producing rice not for their own consumption but for others.
So, who’s afraid of the rice shortage? The government’s immediate intervention has been to subsidize the farmers—by way of allocating funds through the local government units—to help them increase their farm produce. But it did not elaborate how the subsidy will reach the farmers.
Obviously the government is not aware that the farmers, like my parents-in-law, have not been getting subsidies from the government for quite a time...
Click here to read full text.
So, who’s afraid of the rice shortage? The government’s immediate intervention has been to subsidize the farmers—by way of allocating funds through the local government units—to help them increase their farm produce. But it did not elaborate how the subsidy will reach the farmers.
Obviously the government is not aware that the farmers, like my parents-in-law, have not been getting subsidies from the government for quite a time...
Click here to read full text.
