The Mandaluyong City local government on Wednesday, Sept. 13, started the distribution of the P15,000 cash assistance from the national government to the city's rice retailers and sellers affected by the rice price cap mandated by the President.

According to the city government, 71 rice retailers in the city public markets received the cash assistance at the city hall.

President Marcos recently issued Executive Order No. 39, Series of 2023, mandating price ceiling on rice to prevent price manipulation by traders and retailers.

Marcos's order came amid the alarming increase in the retail prices of rice.

Effective Sept. 5, the mandated price cap for regular milled rice is P41 per kilogram, and P45 per kilogram for well-milled rice.

As of Aug. 28, the Department of Agriculture reported that local regular milled rice in markets in Metro Manila ranged from P42 to P55 per kilogram. Meanwhile, local well-milled rice stood at P48 to P56 per kilogram.

Mandaluyong City Mayor Ben Abalos recently issued Ordinance No. 942, Series of 2023, or the "Ordinance suspending the assessment and collection, including the imposition of penalties for non-payment of market stall fees under sections 26 and 27 of Ordinance No. 855, Series of 2021, imposed upon all stakeholders exclusively selling rice products in Mandaluyong public markets 1 and 2 from the period of September 5, 2023 to October 5, 2023."

The mayor issued the ordinance in a bid to alleviate the adverse effects of the rice price cap on rice sellers and retailers.

"In support of the National Government's thrust to alleviate the rising costs in the production and sale of rice products, coupled with the city's commitment to fully support the efforts to promote the development of its public markets, the City of Mandaluyong, exercising its power over the operation of local public markets under Ordinance No. 855 or the Revised Market Code of the City of Mandaluyong, particularly Mandaluyong Public Markets 1 and 2, seeks to aid and assist rice dealers, retailers, and merchants transacting within the city's public markets in the continuous operation of their businesses," the ordinance stated.

"The assessment and collection of market stall fees under Section 26 of the Revised Market Code for stalls selling rice products in Mandaluyong Public Markets 1 and 2 are hereby suspended from September 5, 2023 to October 5, 2023, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations. Further, any of all penalties arising from the non-payment of stall fees under Section 27 of the Revised Market Code within the covered period shall not accrue," it added.

The city government stressed that the said ordinance only covers stalls exclusively selling rice products.