SOLD OUT. Rice retailing for PHP41 per kilo is constantly sold out due to high demand, as seen in this photo taken at a wet market in Antipolo City on Thursday (Sept. 7, 2023). The Department of Trade and Industry in Calabarzon has dispatched monitoring teams to ensure retailers' compliance with rice price caps. (PNA photo by Miguel Gil)
CALAMBA, Laguna – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Calabarzon has dispatched price monitoring teams throughout the region to ensure retailers’ compliance with Executive Order (EO) 39, which set per-kilo price caps of PHP41 on regular milled rice and PHP45 on well-milled rice.
In an interview Friday, Felizardo Cupit, chief of DTI-Calabrazon’s consumer protection division, said they hired more personnel as the agency lacks manpower, with each province being monitored by only three employees.
“We have brought in contractual employees to help us in monitoring prices. But they still have to be trained. Our job is not only to monitor the price of rice but also other goods subject to the fair trade law,” he said.
Cupit explained that enforcing EO 39 is a joint effort by the DTI, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the local government units (LGUs) in the five-province region.
He said that during the last meeting of concerned agencies earlier this week, it was agreed that all LGUs in Calabarzon would reactivate their respective price coordinating councils to strengthen the government’s ability to exact compliance with price controls.
The DTI official confirmed observations that much of the rice currently being sold in wet markets, grocery stores and supermarkets are priced well above the announced price ceilings.
This is often because imported rice, “fancy” rice and other varieties of rice classified as “premium” are not covered by EO 39, Cupit explained.
He noted that rice retailing for PHP41 and PHP45 per kilo is often sold out because of the high demand.
Supply is also relatively limited so sellers are often left with only their more expensive premium rice stocks.
To ensure constant availability of cheaper rice, Cupit said concerned agencies in Calabarzon are keen on proposing modifications to the implementing rules of EO 39.
“We might propose that every retailer be required to have at least one variety of rice that can be sold at PHP45 per kilo. The retailer will be given a free hand on the quality of that rice, as long as it is always available, and can be sold at no higher than PHP45 per kilo,” he said.
Cupit said the rice harvest season has commenced and fresh stocks of affordable rice are expected to be delivered to retailers soon. (PNA)
