Noong 2024, lumobo ang bilang ng imported rice sa bansa sa 4.68 million metric tons. Dahil dito, isa na ngayon ang Pilipinas sa top importers ng bigas. Ano nga ba ang magiging epekto nito sa mga lokal na magsasaka?
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00We were only importing a small amount of rice back then compared to now.
00:05According to the Department of Agriculture,
00:08only 638,000 tons of rice was imported in 2013.
00:15This amounted to 4.68 million metric tons last year.
00:23The Philippines is now one of the top importers of rice.
00:28As of now, our rice sufficiency is not enough.
00:34Based on the records that we have for 2023 and 2024,
00:40our production is only 19 million metric tons.
00:45That would be converted to around 12 to 13 million metric tons of milled rice.
00:51Based on PSA and government records,
00:57we need around 16 million metric tons.
01:00We need around 3.5 to 4 million metric tons
01:05to meet the needs of our country.
01:11Due to various reasons,
01:13our farmers' ability to meet the needs of the country is declining.
01:22Calamity is one of the main reasons
01:26why local farmers' production is declining
01:30and why they need to import rice from other countries.
01:36Due to Hurricane Pipito, which hit Nueva Ecija in 2024,
01:40its dam was destroyed in Aliaga.
01:44As a result, the hectare of rice was destroyed.
01:52This is the result of the dam being destroyed
01:56when the flood hit the area during Hurricane Pipito.
02:01As you can see, this dam is completely destroyed
02:05resulting in the flood of more than 100 hectares of rice farmland.
02:14The dam is still destroyed until now.
02:17Until now, this part of the rice farmland is still submerged in water.
02:23When the flood hit, the rice farmland was saved.
02:27The wind blew directly.
02:29That's why it was swept away.
02:31It didn't collapse.
02:33But what effect did this have on your rice farms?
02:38It didn't rise.
02:40It's because of the wind.
02:41Rice farms don't grow well when it's windy.
02:45As you can see, there are still some rice fields.
02:52But most of them are gone.
02:55Yes, it's gone.
02:57It's a lot.
02:58How can we harvest it?
03:00It's just one bottle.
03:02Now, Father Camillo is planning to harvest his fourth hectare of rice farmland.
03:09Father Camillo, will you still be able to harvest your fourth hectare of rice farmland?
03:15For now, maybe six hectares.
03:19So, what are you planning to do with it?
03:21I'll just feed it to my baby.
03:27Because it's not good anymore.
03:30It's too small.
03:32It's no longer possible to buy submerged rice from the market.
03:37The look of the rice there is not good anymore.
03:41What do you mean?
03:42It's a bit bitter.
03:45Can we still eat it?
03:47Yes, we can eat it.
03:51Because if we eat it, it's still rice.
03:57But we can't find anything that's good.
04:02It's bitter because it tastes like water.
04:09So, it's hard to sell it at a high price?
04:12Yes, we can't sell it at a high price.
04:14We can sell it to people who have livestock.
04:20It's not human anymore?
04:21No, it's not human anymore.
04:23In the many problems that our farmers are facing,
04:27the government says that it has support,
04:30but it's still not enough to solve the problems.
04:35But now, we're seeing a promise with the certain varieties that we are developing
04:40that we can give to the farmers so that it will increase.
04:46At the same time, with our farm mechanization and irrigation,
04:50we are giving all of our support to our farmers so that the yield will increase
04:55and so that our dependence on importation will be reduced.
05:01The field rice and UPLB are helping each other
05:09to research agricultural innovations to help our farmers.
05:17But the problem is that our ordinary farmers are not yet ready
05:23and they still lack capital.
05:27For now, farmers should be patient with what they can give to their land.
05:35Thank you very much for tuning in to Eyewitness.
05:38What can you say about this documentary?
05:42Comment below and subscribe to the GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel.