SPEAKER Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III on Friday played down rumors of an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., saying the House of Representatives is instead focused on addressing urgent national issues-particularly the welfare of farmers and the stabilization of rice prices.
Dy, in an interview, clarified that no such complaint had been received by the House. Dasmariñas City Rep. Francisco ‘Kiko’ Barzaga said he would file an impeachment complaint against President Marcos.
‘We haven’t received anything yet, but as you know, we have many other matters that need our attention,’ Dy said.
‘We have many problems in our country, and we should focus first on addressing them. You can see the struggles of our farmers-that’s what we’re really working on right now,’ Dy added.
The Speaker said his immediate focus is on measures to help the agricultural sector, particularly amid the sharp decline in palay prices brought about by excessive rice importation and reduced tariffs.
Dy said he recently met with Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, along with officials from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), the National Food Authority (NFA), and several local chief executives, to discuss urgent interventions for the sector.
Among the proposals raised were restoring the rice import tariff from 15 percent to 35 percent, limiting rice importation, and directing government agencies-especially the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-to prioritize locally produced rice in their procurement.
He said all parties agreed that the government should buy local rice instead of imported stocks. ‘If possible, all government agencies, especially the DSWD, should refrain from buying imported rice. The government must purchase locally produced rice,’ Dy said.
‘We haven’t received anything yet, but as you know, we have many other matters that need our attention,’ he said.
The Speaker assured the public that under his leadership, the House will continue to focus on policies that support farmers, strengthen food security, uphold accountability, and deliver tangible results for Filipinos.