MALACAÑANG has only itself to blame for the country’s "vulnerability" to the dictates of a rice price cartel, the United Opposition said yesterday amid reports that Thailand, the world’s largest rice exporter, is not joining the May 5 tender.

"Beggars can’t be choosers. The country is very vulnerable right now because of the skewed priorities of the administration," said UNO president and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay. "It prioritized projects like ZTE-NBN where it could get huge kickbacks, and opted to import rice rather than invest in rice self-sufficiency."

Thai officials said Thursday that under their laws, their government is not allowed to endorse their exporters but the rules for the Philippine tender require that suppliers must be a government agency or one endorsed by their governments.

Thailand has agreed in principle with Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam to form a rice price-fixing cartel similar to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and to be called the Organization of Rice Exporting Countries.

UNO spokesman Adel Tamano said: "The Thai snub emphasizes the urgent need for rice self sufficiency... The country was self-sufficient as late as 1994 so this means that if we have the political will to do it, we don’t need to rely on our neighbors.

San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito, UNO chairman for the National Capital Region, has said the rice problem could have been avoided if the Palace had given priority to the agriculture sector.

"During President Erap’s time, the agri sector was the top priority since he wanted the people to have cheap food on their tables. The problem with GMA is that she doesn’t know how it is to be hungry. She has lived a life of royalty which is why she is not sensitive to the needs of the people," he said.