PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. slammed on Wednesday, September 19, former Local Government secretary Manuel Roxas II for offering unsolicited advice to President Rodrigo Duterte to address the rice crisis in the country.
Roxas, who lost to Duterte in the 2016 presidential race, called for a "time-out" from difference of political stance, as he raised the possibility that the prices of rice would continue to soar following the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut).
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 18, Roxas advised the President to consider a "massive and immediate additional supply of rice," in an effort to bring down prices of the staple to affordable levels.
Roxas, a former Trade chief, said the minimum access volume, or the amount of rice imports allowed to enter the country with lower tariffs, should be increased to 1.5 million metric tons.
He also suggested that the usual buffer stock imposed by the National Food Authority be removed to allow private traders to import rice.
Roxas also urged fast food chains, malls, supermarket chains, grocery stores, and all large users to "independently source and import their own needs" so they would not need to get share from the national stockpile.
He said in the short term, his suggested measures would "provide a definite physical buffer, put a definite timeframe for when supply tightness will end, and induce hoarders to release their stocks."
For the medium term, Roxas called on the current administration to repeal the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, and promote industrialized farming to increase capital investment in agriculture.
But Roque said Wednesday, September 19, that it would be better for Roxas to "shut up."
Roque made the remark in a radio interview, even as he has yet to check on Roxas's suggestions to tame the soaring rice prices.
"Hindi ko pa naririnig ang kanyang (Roxas) sinasabi, pero dahil sa kanyang karanasan doon sa Leyte ay mabuti pong manahimik na siyang muli (I have yet to hear what he is saying, but based on his experience in Leyte, it's better for him to just shut up)," he said.
Roque was referring to the Aquino administration's slow rehabilitation efforts for Yolanda-hit areas.
Roxas was the Local Government chief and vice chair of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council when Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck Visayas in 2013.
He was also among several Cabinet members sent by former President Benigno Aquino III to Tacloban City in Leyte to oversee preparations before Yolanda battered the Visayas area. (SunStar Philippines)