A CABINET CLUSTER FOR RICE SECURITY

A CABINET CLUSTER FOR RICE SECURITY

Rice security and rice sufficiency are two sides of the same coin—but are we seeing the whole coin? Is anyone in government truly thinking in terms of a wholistic, integrated approach to rice security, beyond production targets, subsidies, or importation stopgaps?

Let me put it plainly: we cannot claim rice security if we are not rice sufficient, and we cannot be rice sufficient if our only solution is to keep importing more rice. And certainly, food security is not equal to rice security alone. What good is rice without vegetables, protein, and other essential nutrients?

The Numbers Behind the Illusion

Let’s look at the figures. The Philippines produced about 19.96 million metric tons of palay in 2021. At first glance, that seems to exceed our estimated annual demand of 15.14 million metric tons of rice. But here’s where things get real.

Only about 70% of palay becomes milled rice. That reduces our usable yield to just 13.97 million metric tons. Already, that’s a deficit of 1.17 million metric tons.

But we’re not done. Post-harvest losses—especially due to outdated drying methods like laying palay on roads—reduce this yield by another 10%, and pest and moisture spoilage shaves off another 5%. So, in truth, we’re probably only getting around 12.2 to 12.5 million metric tons of actual rice.

To make up the difference, we imported 2.9 million metric tons in 2022. And yet, our buffer stock remains dangerously slim—reportedly good for just 15 days. For something as essential as rice, is that anywhere near acceptable?

Moving Beyond Patchwork Solutions

In earlier discussions, I suggested forming a Technical Working Group (TWG) to address post-harvest inefficiencies. That’s still useful—but what we need now is a Cabinet Cluster for Rice and Grains Security, with the authority, budget, and coordination muscle to tackle the problem from seed to table.

Why a Cabinet Cluster?

Because rice security is not just an agriculture issue. It’s also about:

• Post-harvest infrastructure – under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Agriculture (DA)
• Transport and logistics – led by the Department of Transportation (DOTr)
• Storage and warehousing – with inputs from the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
• Technology and research – under Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and state universities
• Farmer welfare and financing – involving the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP)
• Food price regulation and consumer protection – guided by the DTI and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

A Cabinet Cluster for Rice and Grains Security would unify these efforts under one roof—streamlining policies, coordinating timelines, and ensuring results. This is no longer about forming another committee. It’s about putting rice security at the heart of our national agenda.

What the Cluster Should Do

1.   Mandate post-harvest infrastructure in every rice-producing province. Dryers, silos, cold storage, and efficient rice mills are non-negotiable. Without them, we keep losing a chunk of our harvest before it even hits the market.

2.   Promote alternative rice farming methods, such as saline-tolerant and upland varieties, and invest in climate-resilient agriculture. Not all regions can depend on traditional irrigation.

3.   Fund the replacement of obsolete rice mills with high-efficiency models. The private sector can be incentivized through subsidies or tax breaks to participate.

4.   Develop a national rice logistics plan—one that includes not only roads but also transport fleets, ports, and cold chains to reduce transit spoilage.

5.   Modernize consumption habits by reviving the “half rice” and “clean plate” campaigns. Let’s tackle food waste on the consumption side while we address losses on the production side.

6.   Establish a rice buffer stock target of at least 3 to 6 months, not just 15 days. Food resilience must be our hedge against geopolitical shocks and climate disruptions.

Rice Sufficiency as a National Duty

If Thailand can produce 34 million metric tons of rice a year, and Myanmar 24 million, then the Philippines can surely aim for 30 million metric tons. But this requires political will, strategic funding, and sustained leadership—not just seasonal panic-buying or ceremonial rice distributions.

We must also move toward being a net rice exporter. That’s not a fantasy—it’s a feasible goal with the right systems in place. But we won’t get there with a piecemeal approach.

Final Thoughts

Rice security must be elevated from a bureaucratic talking point to a national imperative. A Cabinet Cluster for Rice and Grains Security can turn rhetoric into results—by driving collaboration, eliminating inefficiencies, and investing where it truly matters.

Let’s stop pretending that importation is a long-term solution. Let’s stop tolerating preventable losses. Let’s stop making rice security a seasonal issue every time prices spike. The future of food in the Philippines begins with rice—but it doesn’t end there.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

09-12-2025