The Philippines is known as one of the countries that have an abundant source of natural resources. For this reason, farming and fishing became our main source of income and food. Unfortunately, our farming industry, particularly rice farming, is dying due to the implementation of Rice Tarrification Law. As stated by Ca Eddie, a farmer in the region of Timog Katagalugan, the price per kilo of ‘palay’ has severely decreased due to the import of foreign rice. Hence, the rice farmers’ livelihood is significantly affected that they are willing to choose death over bullet than death over hunger because of the repressive government in our country. Furthermore, he stated that there will be no progress if Rice Tarrification Law continues.
Attorney Neri Javier Colmenares, a human rights lawyer, and activist, even stated that the promise of President Duterte to give free land for farmers did not materialize. Adding that the passing of Rice Tarrification Law is never the solution to the country’s agricultural problem in his speech, “Lulumpuhin ng foreign rice ang ating sector ng magsasaka.” Furthermore, he believed that students who are protesting for the rights and welfare of the farmers should not be construed as persons whose intentions are to overthrow the government. For him, those people have a basis for their protest, and the real problem is the intolerance of President Duterte. Particularly, in the state-sponsored killings and repressing of people in his term.
In the end, it is not only the farmers who suffer but everybody else living in this country. If our farmers are gone, we will no longer have food security. Thus, foreign countries will rule over us, for they can dictate the price as high as they want. Hence, we will never be on par with developed countries. We will always be below them. Always helpless, in jeopardy, because of the wrong decisions that we make.
Marian Writes 