There are several retailers at the Bacolod City public markets now selling rice at P45 per kilo in compliance with the price ceiling mandated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, September 7.
Benitez said he visited the Burgos and Libertad public markets to check on the rice prices on Wednesday.
The city government is waiting for the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for EO 39 that mandates the price cap for regular milled rice at P41 per kilo and for well-milled rice at P45 per kilo.
Based on EO 39 the city government has a basis to inspect and compel rice retailers to comply with the directive, City Legal Officer Carlos Romeo Ting Jr. said.
Meanwhile, rice packing operations are ongoing for the distribution of rice assistance to all registered Bacolod residents on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10.
The city government that declared a state of calamity after Typhoon Goring is distributing 2 kilos of rice per qualified beneficiary, Benitez said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose said the concern with the implementation of the price cap are the retailers because they already invested in higher priced rice.
But he noted that pronouncements from the Lower House are that government can provide subsidies to somehow help the affected retailers.
“If indeed the national government can take care of the retailers then everything is all good,” Lacson said.
“I understand this is a short term solution and eventually prices will normalize,” he said.
The provincial government can assist the Department of Trade and Industry in the monitoring of the implementation of EO 39, Lacson said.
“This is an executive order of the president and I think the lead agency that should really be watching over this is the DTI,” Lacson said. *