PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government will tap the P6.4-billion sustainable livelihood program (SLP) fund of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide aid to small-scale rice retailers affected by the price ceiling under his Executive Order (EO) No. 39.
In his speech before flying to Indonesia to attend the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean) Summit and related summits, the chief executive disclosed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are now coming out with the list of qualified beneficiaries for the initiative through the help of rice retailer associations.
“The rice retailers should have nothing to worry about. We understand that you will face an ordeal [because of EO 39], since you will suffer losses. The government is there to provide you assistance so you can recoup your losses from the price cap,” Marcos said in Filipino.
“The DSWD already assured us it has the fund so that once we compute the profit losses of rice retailers, we will provide them with the corresponding aid,” he added.
DSWD Secretary Rexlon “Rex” T. Gatchalian confirmed they have sufficient SLP funds to finance the cash grants for the affected retailers.
“We know the capital of the small rice retailers will be affected [by EO 39]. That is where DSWD will come in as ordered by the President to ensure their needed capital will not be exhausted because of the Executive Order,” Gatchalian said.
Other assistance
He said DSWD already has the necessary mechanism in place to immediately facilitate the payout as soon as they get the list of beneficiaries from DTI and DA.
The cash aid was among the measures discussed during the meeting of Marcos with concerned Cabinet members and rice stakeholders on Monday to help retailers and farmers affected by EO 39.
Aside from the SLP, the government will provide the affected retailers with loan programs, logistics support and market linkages through DTI.
As for farmers, they will be linked to supermarket chains and other retailers, finding alternative markets, and promoting bulk buying or advance purchases as well as providing transport for rice stock purchased at the level of the price ceiling or above to Diskwento Caravan sites and selling directly to consumers.
Necessary measure
EO 39 imposed a price cap of P41 per kilogram (kg) for regular milled rice (RMR) and P45 per kg for well-milled rice (WMR) nationwide to address the surge in the price of the food staple.
Marcos defended the need for the price ceiling to address the recent spike in rice prices, which he attributed to attempts of smugglers and hoarders to manipulate the prices of the food staple amid the ongoing harvest season.
“As much as possible, I don’t want to tamper with the market and let it do its work…but our market is being manipulated so the government has to step in by putting in place the price ceiling for the price of rice,” he said.
To help keep the prices stable, the DA will also conduct inventory and supply management of rice among major rice producers as well as intensify its enforcement of rice prices.
Meanwhile, the rice trader members of the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM) have committed to sell rice at P38 per kilogram.
The price cap will continue to take effect starting on September 5, 2023 until it is lifted by the President.
The chief executive said he expects the price cap will be temporary until the peak of the harvest season and the arrival of the rice imports from the private sector.
“The rice supply will be coming in the second week of September. These include the harvest from the Philippines and those which are imported. There will be no reason to raise the price of rice and we can bring it back to the price that we are used to,” Marcos said.
Based on DA’s weekly monitoring report in Metro Manila, the retail price of RMR is P51 per kg and P52.45 for WMR from August 28, 2023 to September 1, 2023.
Constant monitoring
Marcos said he will continue to monitor the situation on rice prices even during his participation at the ongoing 43rd Asean Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia from September 5 to 7.
At the summit, he said he will push for Philippine priorities in Asean and to work with other Asean Member States.
The priorities include a rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea, strengthening food security, calling for climate justice, tapping the potential of the digital and creative economies, protecting migrant workers in crisis situations, as well as combating Trafficking-in-Persons.
“My administration will continue to ensure that our constructive engagements with Asean, our Dialogue Partners, and stakeholders serve our national interest and the well-being of the Filipino people,” the President said.
The chief executive will also lead in government initiatives to secure more foreign investments from Indonesia.
Image credits: Alfred Frias/NIB-PNA
PBBM vows aid for rice retailers; off to Asean meet
Source: News Paper Radio
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