BBM Sir, Considering Your P20/kg Rice – “The President Being The DA Chief Must Create A More Comprehensive Set Of Interventions” – Bonar Laureto, Consultant Deloitte PH. “First, Have A National Plan Before Those Interventions” – Frank A Hilario, Writer From Home (WFH)

Given “The Marcos Formula” as reproduced above by Inquirer.net accurately states what BBM Sir you want done, in fact, you are dictating the process, not working the magic out!

Bonar Laureto, a consultant of Deloitte PH for Sustainability and Enterprise Risk Management, among other things (linkedin.com), on Facebook 23 June 2022 writes on “The Marcos Formula” thus:

The pricing and local sourcing rates that we are seeing are outcomes of a confluence of factors in a complex system dynamics. Solutions must therefore be structural beyond what [are] currently identified by our President and DA chief.

“Confluence of factors in a complex system” – it’s not easy being a solver of national problems! To that I say, if you want to lower prices, do not look at prices only!

Local consumers prefer imported rice because of 1. Quality issues of local rice and 2. [Local rice] is more expensive.

Mr Laureto is talking about quality of local rice being sold in the market, not the rice being harvested. Millers and sellers “tend to mix high-quality, high-price with low-quality, cheaper rice to [minimize] the price and maximize their margin….”

BBM Sir, please don’t overlook the merchants’ desire to sell more and gain more, even at the expense of the rice eaters!

“This is why I think the President being the DA chief must create a more comprehensive set of interventions, not just what is written [above].”

Sir, there is more to consider, says this agriculturist & writer from home (WFH)!

As PH President, you can simply dictate the price of rice, but you cannot simply dictate on the factors of production – and for that, I say you have to produce a “National BBM Plan For Rice” – “BBM” being “Broad, Budgeted Billions-Big, Managed Methodically.”

Thinking all that reminds me that current Secretary of Agriculture William Dar has a 3-year old national Bible for PH Agriculture – he came in with what he called “The New Thinking For Agriculture” (TNT for A) when he assumed the position of Secretary on 06 August 2019. In TNT for A, 8 crucial factors (Mr Dar called them “Paradigms”) are necessary to be considered:

(1) Modernization
(2) Industrialization
(3) Promotion of exports
(4) Consolidation of small- and medium-sized farms
(5) Infrastructure development
(6) Higher budget & investment
(7) Legislative support
(8) Roadmap development.

Considering all that TNT for A must consider, BBM Sir, to prolong the life of your P20/kg rice, the Department of Agriculture with all the agencies and offices under & attached to it – “One DA” – must modernize itself by restructuring nationally for PH Agriculture (and Fisheries) before further promoting industrialization and exports, consolidating small- and medium-sized farmers, developing infrastructure, receiving higher budgets and investments, supported by legislation, and building value-chain roadmaps. Whew!

Your P20/kg rice is difficult, but this WFH says it can be done, and maintained – with a dictatorial overhaul of One DA!@517