Manila: House Speaker Faustino 'Bojie' Dy III on Monday appealed to the government's economic managers to restore the 35 percent tariff on imported rice to protect farmers and strengthen the country's rice industry.

According to Philippines News Agency, Dy made this appeal during a joint hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food, chaired by Quezon 1st District Rep. Mark Enverga, and the Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Marikina 2nd District Rep. Miro Quimbo. Dy emphasized that restoring the 35 percent tariff, up from the current 15 percent, would serve as protection against the sudden influx of imported rice, while also ensuring a balance between affordable consumer prices and farmers earning a decent living.

Enverga supported Dy's appeal, recalling that a similar recommendation was made in the 19th Congress. He referred to the work of the Murang Pagkain Super Committee, a five-committee panel tasked with curbing smuggling, preventing price manipulation, and promoting food security, which also advocated for the tariff restoration.

The joint hearing saw participation from officials of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Philippine Competition Commission. Representatives from rice millers, traders, importers, and farmers' groups were also present to discuss the implications of the proposed tariff changes.