Imee to NEDA: Disclose details of 15% rice tariff cut

The National Economic and Development Authority should make public the details of the June 3 NEDA Board meeting that resulted in the government’s controversial decision to cut the tariff on imported rice to 15 percent up to 2028, Sen. Imee Marcos said.

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Marcos made the call after Thursday’s Senate hearing into proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (Republic Act 11203) and Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RA 8178) showed that the proposal did not come from agricultural stakeholders, and was never raised during three consultative hearings of the Tariff Commission in 2023.

“It suddenly appeared at the NEDA Board on June 3. We will ask, as far as possible, who went (to the NEDA Board meeting) and if there is a transcript to provide. If necessary, there will be an executive session just so we can know the root of this EO 62 (Modifying the Nomenclature and Rates of Import Duty on Various Products),” Marcos said.