Figures of Farmers Daily Nominal Wage according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (as of 2019)
More websites and sources are added for more references aboyt the topic.
REFERENCES:
Farm workers are paid an average daily wage of PhP 331.10 in 2019; CALABARZON farm workers are the highest paid while Central Visayas farm workers are the lowest paid
Farmers are fighting for these rights for a very long time and up until to this day, it is still not given to them. The Magna Carta for Small Farmers or Republic Act of 7607 aims to properly distribute and provide the support, financial assistance, and benefits of smallhold farmers. The law also encourages farmers to join planning and organizing seminars and projects. This may serve as the documented proof that farmers have these rights, yet this law is going to be irrelevant if there are no actions and adherence from the government itself for this to happen. Starting from the benefits, market support, and farmers education through seminars, ang etc. The law empowers the role of farmers on our society as well as to help them harness their capabilities to achieve a greater potential on their farming skills and they deserve to have this benefits!
As for the Rice Tarrification Law, we all know that this law gives way to imported rice and that will make additional tarrifs to the market in our country. It will also put down the opportunities of local rice and local farmers to penetrate the market since imported rice will be in demand from the consumers. This will make the farmers income drop estimatedly atleast P50 billion pesos and the estimated numbers of farmers affected are most likely 2.5 million. In the first place, our country (the Philippines) has a lot of potential in terms of agriculture. We are rich in natural resources. If we will based on the rights and provisions given to the Magna Carta for Small Farmers, if it was prioritized, then maybe we already have a good system of agriculture.
The Php 5,000 financial assistance of the government is indeed a "consuelo de bobo" (a branding from former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor). It was declared that this will serve as somehow a "Christmas Bonus" for the farmers, but logically speaking, it doesn't comprehend to the necessary amount the farmers must receive. Each farmer suffered due to loss of income worth of Php 25,000, and the financial assistance for them is only Php 5,000? It's totally unfair for the farmers. “Hindi pwedeng gutom ang nagpapakain sa atin. Kailangan silang matulungang magpakain sa ating lahat,” Pangilinan said during the deliberation of the law. It is ironic that they are the ones who put a lot of hardwork for everyone to have foods and goods, yet they experience hunger and unfair labor practices.
