By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Sunday urged the formation of what he described as a mega government task force to run after rice price manipulators and greedy traders.

He made the proposal after the House Quinta-Comm chaired by Ways and Means Committee Chairperson Rep. Joey Salceda of Albay uncovered alarming evidence of collusion and price manipulation in the rice industry, despite reports of oversupply and reduced import tariffs.

“The findings of the Quinta Comm expose a serious betrayal of public trust. The Filipino people are paying unnecessarily high prices for rice, which should now be at P35 to P40 per kilo due to oversupply and tariff reductions. This blatant manipulation is unacceptable,” Speaker Romualdez stressed, noting that rice prices should have gone below P50 per kilo due to sufficient supply and reduction in importation cost.

“We will not allow this exploitation to continue. The House of Representatives will dismantle this cartel, ensure accountability, and protect both consumers and our farmers,” he declared.

The Leyte lawmaker said his proposed task force may be composed of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Justice (DoJ), including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Customs (BuCor), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Once established, the task force should have the power to conduct inventories, check on compliance with tax laws and rules, inspect warehouses, and immediately padlock any erring business establishments.

Quinta-Comm unraveled evidence pointing to manipulation of rice prices

During the recent hearings of the Quinta-Comm, also known as the Murang Pagkain Super Committee, lawmakers revealed a disturbing pattern of price-fixing and hoarding among rice importers and traders. 

Data presented by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicated an oversupply of rice, with the demand-supply ratio dropping from 82.5 to 69.4 this year; despite ample supply, PSA reported that the price of regular-milled rice decreased only slightly from P50.16-50.40 in October to P49.44 in the early part of last month. 

“Ang stocks ng bigas ay sobra-sobra, pero bakit hindi bumababa ang presyo? Malinaw na may sabwatan sa pagitan ng mga importer at trader,” Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo said, criticizing artificially high rice prices despite reduced import tariffs under Executive Order No. 62.

Quinta-Comm Chair Salceda also emphasized that rice prices should already stabilize at P35 per kilo, following the significant drop in the landed cost of imported rice, now averaging P33.95 per kilo.

Other lawmakers also accused certain importers and traders of conspiring to hoard rice stocks, artificially inflating prices while reaping billions in profits. 

Agap Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones identified two major companies—RBS Universal Grains Traders Corp. and Sodatrade Corp.—as key players, importing a combined 273,000 metric tons of rice under alleged suspicious arrangements.

“Kung titingnan, iisa lang ang may-ari. Malinaw na ito ay isang sabwatan upang kontrolin ang merkado at pahirapan ang mamimili,” Briones said.

“Kung susumahin, P13 billion ang kinita nila mula sa pagbaba ng taripa, pero hindi nila inilalabas ang mga stock. Kailangan nilang magpakita ng konsensya at ilabas ang bigas para bumaba ang presyo.” Quimbo added further, urging importers and traders to have pity on the consumers who are bearing the burden of rigged rice prices.

Romualdez calls for reinforced legislation against agricultural sabotage

In response, Speaker Romualdez directed the Quinta-Comm to expedite legislation, including amendments to strengthen the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. 

“This is not just an economic issue—it’s a matter of food security and national stability. The House will use all its powers to hold these cartels accountable, protect our farmers, and bring affordable rice to Filipino households,” Romualdez emphasized.

“We will not stop until justice is served and the rice industry is free from corruption. The days of exploitation are over,” he added, likewise urging the DOJ and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to hold perpetrators accountable.

The Speaker also called for the Department of Agriculture (DA) to intensify monitoring of rice stockpiles and ensure that surplus stocks are released into the market to stabilize prices.

“Ang bigas ay buhay. Hindi dapat ito maging laruan ng mga sakim na negosyante. Sisiguraduhin natin na ang bawat butil ay abot-kamay ng pamilyang Pilipino,” the House speaker concluded. (with report from Mela Lesmoras/PTV News)

-av