THE Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said it is reviewing a proposal to allow rice imports for one month in January and to reimpose the import freeze between February and April next year, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“We have spoken with Economy Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, and right now this matter is being studied and evaluated,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said at a briefing.
“There will likely be a recommendation by next week — let’s see if the DEPDev has one by then,” she added.
On Monday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has “more or less” approved a plan to allow about 300,000 metric tons of rice imports in January.
Mr. Marcos earlier ordered a 60-day suspension of rice imports beginning Sept. 1 as a form of price relief to farmers during the harvest.
The suspension, which was initially set to conclude on Nov. 2, covers only regular milled and well-milled rice.
The Philippines imported around 4.7 million metric tons (MMT) of rice last year. The US Department of Agriculture projected in August that Philippine rice imports this year will total 4.9 MMT. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana