MANILA – The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on second reading a bill which imposes tariffs on rice imports in place of quotas.

Congressmen approved House Bill 7735 or the rice tariffication bill, which was dubbed as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte during his third State of the Nation Address.

Economic managers have said that removing quotas on rice imports would lead to lower prices of the staple.

Some legislators however raised concerns that lifting import quotas would put local rice farmers at a disadvantage.

“We really have to make sure that our farmers are prepared and competitive enough to withstand any shock that a new rice regulation would create,” said Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman meanwhile said the funds collected through the tariffs should be automatically appropriated and released to farmers.

Lagman said there are concerns that the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund would not go to farmer-beneficiaries.

“We must be able to assure that the rice fund will be automatically appropriated without passing Congress. It must be released periodically,” Lagman said.

Importing rice was also one of the 5 “vigorous” measures to curb inflation that were discussed during House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's meeting with the administration's economic managers, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda has said.

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