House ally hits Aquino plan to end rice subsidy 07/18/2010 By Charlie V. Manalo

House ally hits Aquino plan to end rice subsidy

07/18/2010 By Charlie V. Manalo Less than a month into office, the Aquino administration is fast earning criticisms from its allies, the latest resulting from a proposal of the Department of Finance (DoF) to scrap subsidies on rice prices and transfer the responsibility of ensuring the poor’s access to rice to the Social Welfare Department supposedly to stop the financial drain on the National Food Authority (NFA). “What (Finance) Secretary (Cesar) Purisima is, in effect, proposing is to leave something as vital as rice trade to the hands of traders and business. He wants government to save money by abandoning its commitment to help farmers get fair prices for their palay and assure consumers of access to affordable rice,” Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello in criticizing the Finance department’s proposal. While President Aquino has vowed to lick poverty, Purisima’s pronouncement only validates observations from some sectors the newly installed government is in disarray with so many power players, including the President’s sister power, Kamag-anak Inc., Hyatt 10 and some civil society groups, trying to jostle each other with regard to appointments and policy-making, he said.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100718hed4.html

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