President Marcos has called on the public to help the government in battling rice smugglers and hoarders as they are the ones disrupting the market's flow of supply and demand for the country’s primary staple.

“Nais ko na rin pong gamitin ang pagkakataong ito upang [hikayatin] kayo na makiisa sa pagbabantay laban sa smuggling at sa hoarding at mga sindikatong patuloy na namamayagpag sa pagsasamantala sa taumbayan (I would also like to take this opportunity to urge you to take part in the fight against smuggling and hoarding, and syndicates who keep on exploiting our countrymen),” he said in his speech during the rice distribution at the Augusto Legaspi Memorial Sports and Cultural Center in Kalibo, Aklan.

“Tulungan po ninyo ang ating mga ahensya sa pagmamatyag upang mahuli at mapatawan ng angkop na parusa ang mga sumasabotahe sa sektor ng agrikultura at sa ating ekonomiya (Help our agencies to catch and punish those who are sabotaging the agricultural sector and our economy),” he went on.

Marcos has vowed to be relentless against rice smugglers, hoarders, and syndicates manipulating prices in the market.

“Sa Bagong Pilipinas na ating binubuo, hindi po tayo titigil hanggang [hindi] nabubuwag ang lahat ng mga sindikatong ito—at hanggang hindi 
maibalik sa normal [at] mababang presyo ng ating mga bilihin ( In the New Philippines that we are building, we will not stop until all these syndicates are dismantled—and until the normal and low prices of our goods are restored),” the Chief Executive said.

To recall, the President has ordered the filing of cases against San Pedro Warehouse and Blue Sakura Agri Grain Corporation, F.S. Ostia Rice Mill, and Gold Rice Mill for violating the provisions of Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, Rice Tariffication Law, and Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, or Republic Act No. 10845.

Upon his order, all seized smuggled rice were distributed to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after importers failed to defend the legality of their importation.

Kalibo, Aklan, is the country's 11th place where Marcos has overseen rice distribution to 4Ps beneficiaries.

On Oct. 4, Marcos lifted Executive Order No. 39 or the nationwide price cap of rice after almost a month of its implementation. The Department of Agriculture (DA), which Marcos concurrently heads, has recorded stable rice prices for regular and well-milled rice following the lifting of the price cap.

Marcos said during his campaign that he was aspiring to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo.