Manila, May 7 -- The measure amending the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) to allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to sell rice to markets at a lower price hurdled the committee level at the House of Representatives.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the House Committee on Agriculture and Food approved the unnumbered substitute bill, which would reinstate the authority of the NFA to sell rice to the public for price and supply stability.

The committee approval came a day after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that he would certify the proposed legislation as urgent, explaining that amending the charter of the NFA and the RTL would give the government the needed leeway to act when retail prices of rice go up.

In an interview, Com...