COMPLIANCE CHECK. A vendor at the Albay Public Market in Legazpi City shows their prices of regular and well-milled rice on Wednesday (Sept. 6, 2023). The Department of Trade and Industry, Albay Provincial Police Office and other concerned agencies are conducting inspections and monitoring the compliance of rice retailers in the province with the price ceilings. (PNA photo by Connie Calipay)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Albay is urging local government units (LGUs) to activate their local price coordinating councils in the implementation of the rice price ceiling mandated under Executive Order (EO) 39.
In an interview on Wednesday, DTI-Albay Provincial Director Noel Bunao said they are now profiling all the rice retailers in the province to ensure compliance with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
"So far based on our monitoring, may mga nag-comply na po tayong establishments (some establishments have already complied), now we have a meeting with the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the lead agency in the implementation of the order," Bunao said.
He said in the coming days, the implementation of the rice price ceiling will be inter-agency.
"We encouraged our LGUs to activate the local price coordinating council to help in monitoring. Under the Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act, the chairman is the mayor, and in the case of the province, the governor, this will be an inter-agency approach. One of the functions of the council is to stabilize the price and supply," Bunao said.
With the activated local price coordinating council, Bunao said the coordination and monitoring of the rice price ceiling will be easier since it will be localized.
He said the list of profiled rice retailers will be the basis of the assistance that will be provided by the government.
"We are still waiting for the guidelines on the assistance but for now we are on profiling. We also encourage retailers to follow the EO 39 since there is a penalty imposed under the Price Act for those who do not comply," Bunao added.
Meanwhile, Albay Provincial Police Office (PPO) Chief Col. Fernando Cunanan Jr. ordered all towns and cities chiefs of police to monitor and conduct inspections in local markets in the province.
"As an initial action taken by the Albay PPO since the pronouncement of President Marcos with the EO 39, we coordinated with DTI-Albay. The Albay PPO, DTI, and other concerned agencies continue to monitor and inspect the different rice retailers in local markets," Albay PPO spokesperson Capt. Kharren Formales said in an interview.
She said violators will face penalties, as stated in Sections 15 and 16 of Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act.
"The complainant will be the DA, and we will assist the complaint if there are violators on the said EO. The penalties under the Price Act is imprisonment of up to 10 years and substantial fines ranging from PHP5,000 to PHP1 million," she said.
Under the EO, the price ceiling for regular milled rice and well-milled rice is PHP41 per kg. and PHP45 per kg., respectively. (PNA)
