APRIL 25, 2016

NR # 4181

Solon seeks sustainable food supply to Filipinos

A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to create a National Food Security Council
(NFSC) that will ensure food staples self-sufficiency and food security to 100 million
Filipinos.
Party-list BUTIL Rep. Agapito H. Guanlao said House Bill 4611 shall create a body,
which rationalizes the current organizational and programmatic initiatives in agriculture
that will aid in achieving food availability and affordability at all times.
This bill seeks to attain focus by harmonizing the programs, functions and
providing a single direction to the National Food Authority (NFA), National Irrigation
Administration (NIA), Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA) and Philippine Coconut
Authority (PCA) without effecting changes in their charters, said Guanlao.
Under the bill, the NFSC, which shall be attached to the Office of the President,
shall be responsible for policy-making, planning, regulating and coordinating policies and
directives concerning food production and all necessary complementary requirements that
will promote food self-sufficiency and security.
The council shall closely monitor the production of food in agriculture, aquaculture,
fisheries and mari-culture and rationalize the utilization of infrastructure that complements
food production.
A National Food Security Strategic Development Framework (FSSDF) shall be
formulated to ensure the adequate and continuous supply of rice, corn, grain and other key
food products at affordable prices especially in times of calamities.
Guanlao said the NSFC should also ensure the economic viability of coconuts
taking into consideration their propagation, rejuvenation, promotion and marketing.
In terms of pest management method, NSFC shall promote, monitor and utilize
environment-friendly production technologies and application including regulation of
inputs for pest management and control.
Moreover, NFSC shall rationalize agriculture extension work and its development
in the overall food security thrusts and directions.
It shall integrate national and local food security directions and operation with the
framework and operational guidelines of the National Convergence Initiative (NCI).

Lastly, the NFSC shall ensure availability and accessibility of food grains, flour, and
other food commodities in the market and shall closely monitor and regulate imports
especially rice and corn.
The bill also seeks to confront challenges in shrinking agricultural lands,
degradation of food resource bases, climate change and reduced food ecosystem and
biodiversity.
Guanlao said these challenges erode the economic viability of farming due to
inadequacies in government support to the agricultural sector in terms of financial, credit,
technological and skills transfer while cuts and abolition of agricultural subsidies have
kept production costs high.
Furthermore, the formation of a Congressional Oversight Committee in the Senate
and House of Representatives shall be established to monitor the implementation of the
Act.
The council shall report regularly to Congress the status of the implementation and
operations necessary for all aspects of its programs, operations, financial status and project
implementation as reflected by the basic reform indicator. (30) nap