Today, more than ever, we are reminded of hunger all over the country. Imagine those working every day under the heat of the sun growing food for the

country. They spend for farm inputs, equipment, labor, land rent, etc. but gets nothing in return due to the discrepancy of what they had spent versus their income. They work to feed the nation and yet, they can barely feed themselves and their families.

This is the reality of many rural families across the country, and it reflects how neglected and marginalized our rural sectors are, despite our country being primarily agricultural.

Even before the enactment of the Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Liberalization Law (RLL), our local rice industry has been in chronic crisis. Compared to our rice-producing neighbour countries, our farmers produce a lower average of 3 to 6 tons per hectare at a higher cost of P11 to P14 per kilo. The government has always resorted to band-aid solutions such as rice importation which they said could bring the rice prices down. Despite this, imports have failed to impact significantly on supply and prices because rice importation—as well as rice smuggling—are also monopolized by the same traders therefore putting the industry in deeper crisis.

But after only months of implementing the RLL, it has been clear that removing the quantitative restrictions on imported rice and allowing unlimited importation would seal the death of the country’s rice industry. With prices of palay reaching as low as P7 per kilo, our farmers are in such miserable state.

Farmer’s groups led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and rice watch group Bantay Bigas have warned before the enactment of RLL that this will happen. And yet, the Duterte administration does not want to admit that this law is to blame for the miserable state of our farmers right now. Sen. Cynthia Villar, the principal author of said law, even has the audacity to deny that the farmers are suffering because of this law.

According to Ibon Foundation, official figures show that the poverty incidence among farmers (34.3%) and fisherfolk (34%) is higher than the national average (21.6%). The research group estimates that, if based on more reasonable standards of poverty measurement, at least 90%, if not all farmers and fisherfolk, are impoverished.

Such figures are very disheartening. Many have criticized and we have heard the indignation, anger and desperation of those who are directly impacted by this miserable situation, yet some of us are frozen in place when we reflect on how to help.

As Catholics, we are taught that the dignity of every person must always be respected because each person is a precious child of God. Our commitment to the dignity of every person requires special concern for those who are poor and vulnerable, whose needs are greatest, and whose lives and dignity are often threatened by hunger, poverty, and suffering.

In light of these principles, we must commit ourselves to help our farmer brothers and sisters amid this dire state. It is time we talk about this crisis in our schools, parishes and convents. We can invite them for discussions on the local rice industry.

We can also buy local grains directly from farmers and help in promoting their products. We can sign the petition spearheaded by Bantay Bigas calling to repeal Republic Act 11203 and support the bill authored by Makabayan representatives that would repeal said law.

Ultimately, we must realize that while our farmers are fighting for their livelihood, they are also carrying the struggle for food security and self-sufficiency and that we have stakes in this, too. And so, we must join our farmers in their call to repeal the RLL and for the government to support the local rice industry so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labor and live a life worthy of their God-given dignity.