Agri group pushes for tariff earmarking, MAV abolition

The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) has urged legislators to pass a measure that would earmark tariff collections from agricultural imports to their respective sectors to fast-track their development and modernization.

- By JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

PCAFI said lawmakers should consider creating more earmarked funds like the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the Salt Industry Development and Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (SIDCEF).

The RCEF and SIDCEF are guaranteed allocation to their respective sectors using the tariffs collected from imported rice and salt, respectively.

Government officials and lawmakers have commended the RCEF as a good model in developing an agricultural industry since rice tariffs collected are plowed back for the industry's development. The SIDCEF was also patterned after the RCEF.

"Tariff collections should be earmarked to the commodity sector where it was generated to help develop the said industry," PCAFI president Danilo Fausto said.

PCAFI proposed the creation of earmarked funds for cacao, coffee, sugar, tobacco and even vegetables, which the group noted get minimal annual budget from the government.