The Marikina City local government signed on Thursday, Sept. 14, three ordinances that will give cash assistance and waive rental fees and business tax payments for rice retailers in the city amid the implementation of the national rice price ceiling policy.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro first signed Ordinance No. 68, which grants relief on rental payments for rice retailers who are renting stalls in the Marikina City Public Market. These fees will be waived for September and October.

Teodoro said this measure is similar to the policy they enforced during the Covid-19 pandemic, which will help small rice businesses stabilize their rice supplies and adjust to the new pricing policy.

To further alleviate the financial woes of businesses, the mayor also signed Ordinance No. 69 Series of 2023, which exempts rice retailers who are operating within the city from “paying business taxes on their gross sales or receipts for the third and fourth quarter of 2023.”

Teodoro has also approved Ordinance No. 70, series of 2023, allowing the local government to give cash assistance to rice retailers in order to “mitigate and cushion the impact of the price cap,” and to “protect and assist food-providing businesses during economic difficulties.”

There are around 149 micro, small rice retailers registered under the Marikina Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), according to the mayor. Each rice retailer will receive P5,000 from the local government.

Retailers in the wet markets, public markets, sari-sari stores that are selling rice, and other establishments that are open to the public are eligible for both the tax amnesty and cash assistance. However, tax relief and the financial aid will not be given to rice retailers in supermarkets and convenience stores, as per the ordinance.

“Alam ko po na hindi po sapat ito, ngunit kahit papaano sana po makatulong at mapagaan po ang ating pagnenegosyo po. Napakahirap po ng buhay, gusto ko po manatili kayong nasa negosyo (I know this is not enough, but I hope that it will help unburden your businesses. Our current state of living is difficult, but I want you all to keep your businesses and jobs),” the mayor said.

Executive Order No. 39, series of 2023, signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., aimed to control the price of rice nationwide by mandating fixed prices – regular-milled rice at P41 per kilo and well-milled rice at P45 per kilo.

Responding to concerns of retailers prior to and since the policy’s imposition on Sept. 5, the national government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Trade and Industry. (DTI) have distributed cash aid to retailers.

Some Marikina rice business owners have received P15,000 from the DSWD, with the help of the Office of District 2 Representative Stella Quimbo, on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

On Thursday, another batch of retailers were also given the same cash assistance from the DSWD, facilitated by Teodoro.

Local government units in the National Capital Region (NCR) have also passed their own policies and programs to give financial assistance to rice retailers operating within their areas of jurisdiction.