Looming rice crisis, another wake up call for genuine land reform – KMU

“The Filipino workers and people have long been crying of hunger and their calls for structural economic and political changes have always always ignored. The looming rice crisis, amid soaring prices of basic commodities and services, should be another wake-up call for the government to implement long-term economic policies that would address the fundamental problems of the country.”

This was the statement of labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno in response to a publicized report by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) saying that the Aquino government should prepare for a looming rice crisis which would affect several countries including the Philippines.

The NICA report said that unusual weather patterns brought about by climate change and political uprisings worldwide have a great effect on international food production and costs.

“The Philippine government still has not learned its lesson despite the 2008 rice crisis. It is most ironic that an agricultural country like ours depends heavily on rice importations from neighboring countries, making us vulnerable to such global food crises,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary-general.

“We have vast tracks of agricultural lands but majority of these, owned by local hacienderos, are being utilized for production of raw materials exported to meet global demand and not for local food consumption. On the other hand, small farmers lack government support for irrigation and modern technology to boost local production,” Soluta said.

“We should produce for our own consumption, stop depending on rice imports and break away from foreign dictates on our economy and agriculture. Genuine agrarian reform is the only key to food security,” Soluta said.

KMU also criticized NICA’s pronouncement that protests against price increases and the nationwide strike launched by the transport sector are threats to national security.

“The government is trying to scare away the country’s drivers from participating in legitimate protests and from exercising their right to self-expression. We have every reason to believe that it will use this report as an excuse to continue carrying out killings and harassments of members of progressive organizations who protest against Aquino’s anti-people policies,” Soluta added.

“The government’s efforts to scare people, however, would not stop the workers’ clamor for genuine land reform and national industrialization,” Soluta concluded.