By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
Low quality and ready importation, these are two things that are always associated with the National Food Authority. I don’t know why. Can you imagine having more than P2.7M metric tons of surplus rice harvest yet the NFA does not have the required 60-90 days buffer stock in its bodegas nationwide?
We produced about 19.3 million metric tons of rice in 2017, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. This is the highest yield that we ever produced. We have a situation of scarcity in the midst of plenty! Why is it then that we needed to import again to fill the empty warehouses of the NFA? It is a clear manifestation of a faulty system being implemented by the agency on how to stock up its bodegas. It is even clearer that those administering the agency are not up to task. Inept.
By any yardstick, importing rice is much more expensive than buying from the farmers. Why not just buy from the local farmers at a cost almost equal the price of the imported one? This way, the local farmers will be helped instead of those from the exporting country. Department of Agriculture officials are not even part of the decision whether to import rice or not. There goes the rub. Had the DA officials been consulted, NFA might not be recommending the importation. They even scared the public about the supposed lack of buffer stock
It is possible that the rice importation, aside from lining up the pockets of some people, could be used to justify the increase in rice prices arising from the TRAIN Law. Poor Juan de la Cruz!
As usual, our officials are pointing to the rice cartel as a cause of the perilously dwindled NFA stock. They are unscrupulous business people to say the least. Given that this is so, I will ask a rhetorical question asked by Senator Ping Lacson few backs, commenting on the unchallenged incursions, islet grabbing, and naming of some features of the Benham Rise (or Philippine Rise) by China: “Are we that helpless”?
While we are on the topic of rice supply and importation, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol came up a couple of days ago, with an out-of-the-box suggestion on growing rice in another country. The plan was to grow rice in Papua New Guinea by Filipino farmers, and ship to the Philippines whatever excess of the produce there. This will somehow guarantee rice supply in the Philippines when local production will go down for whatever reason. He was roundly ridiculed by militant farmer organization. This is of course an uneducated criticism. The plan is excellent in my view, for several reasons. One, that we can have a ready supply when our production suffers due to calamities. Two, that we will not disrupt international price of rice and avoid heavy criticisms from around the world as we got during the term of PGMA. Three, that we can pursue crop diversification in our rice farms and make our farms more productive and our farmers earn more. Four, that we can we can help a fellow country in their own struggle for food security. Five, that by sending our farmers to grow rice in another country, we may be able to create another model for OFWs that are less prone to abuse by abusive employers.
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The score, 196:2. This is not a score in any sporting event or other competitions. It is about the number of dead OFWs in Kuwait in just two years (2016-2017), most of which are due to employers’ abuse. If that is not enough, hear what Sen. J. Villanueva revealed and cry: aside from those deaths, he mentioned “the 1,447 cases of maltreatment, 2,959 cases of contract violation, 227 sexual abuses and 63 cases of rape of Filipino workers for just a period of one year from 2016?” In 2017, Undersecretary Abella of the DFA said that there were 6,000 cases of abuses on OFW in Kuwait. This is a clear manifestation that many Kuwaitis consider Filipinos working for them as sub-human. They have very little respect, and therefore they do not deserve to be respected in return. If that does not raise the blood of any sensible, Filipino imbued with national fervor, nothing will.
The total ban on OFWs in Kuwait is an excellent move. That should have been done much earlier as many abuses on OFWs have been reported earlier in that country. Understandably, this does not sit well with some sector including those who have already spent a tidy sum to recruiters so they can work in that barbaric country. They have to consider the possibility that the same abuse could also befell them. They should think about Joanna Daniella Demafelis, the unfortunate OFW in Kuwait who was abused, killed and stuffed in a freezer for a year until found this year. On the other hand, the government should find a way to help them financially.
The reaction of the Human Rights Welfare to the total ban is a big reason that emboldens abusers to become even more abusive. The watch group opined that the “ban is likely to increase abuses of overseas Filipino workers who resort to unsafe and unregulated channels to enter Kuwait”. While that is a distinct possibility, I guess that statement was devoid of much thinking, looking at just one side of the issue. It was just a spur of the moment comment.
Many Arab countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, have their own “justice system” that they insist on applying especially to helpless migrant workers. Take for instance the “Kafala” or sponsorship system in the Middle East. The unjust system, stipulates that migrant workers who flee their employers can be arrested and fined, imprisoned for up to six months, deported and barred from returning for at least six years. This is regardless of whether they are abused, raped or tortured. This allows employers to hold their workers’ phones, passports and even lock them in rooms. Will a decent Filipino still would like to work is countries employing such system?
I like what DOLE Secretary S. Bello is advocating: declaring a war against abuses on OFWs and illegal recruitment. I hope this will materialize and sustained.
The imposition of total ban on deployment of OFWs in countries like Kuwait should send a strong signal that they should treat well any migrant worker in their employ. The ban should encourage other countries sending migrant workers to do the same to protect their own. Definitely, the economy of employing countries will be paralyzed without migrant workers.
Kuwait, and other abusive countries should be strongly asked to indemnify families of all abused OFWs. **
