Smugglers and hoarders are the insects that disrupt the supply and prices of rice in the country, President Marcos said as he put the blame on them over the rising prices of rice.

Marcos called them "bukbok" or weevils that usually infest old and poorly-stored stock of rice and other agricultural goods such as corn and flour.

He said they are the ones ruining the balance between rice prices and supply in the country which prompted the government to implement rice policies, including the temporary price cap and new price range for buying palay.

"Ang bukbok na lubos na sumisira sa balanse ng suplay at presyo ng bigas sa merkado [ay] ang hoarding at saka ang smuggling, at price manipulation na ginagawa ng mapagsamantalang mga negosyante (The insects that totally ruins the balance between supply and price of rice in the market is hoarding and smuggling, and price manipulation done by erring businessmen)," Marcos said as he led the distribution of seized smuggled rice to beneficiaries in Manila on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

He said he will not allow smugglers and hoarders under his watch, asking the government and the citizenry to help him fight against smuggling and hoarding.

He told the beneficiaries of rice donation of the scheme smugglers and hoarders do which cause high prices that eventually adds suffering to the ordinary Filipinos while smugglers and hoarders earn large sums.

"'Pag mataas na ang presyo, sa kanila ilalabas para kumita sila ng malaki. Hindi naman talaga tama ‘yan dahil ang kanilang ginagawa ay nagbibigay – nagpapahirap sa taong-bayan para lang sila ay makabulsa ng malaking pera (When the prices are finally high, they will then release the rice to earn big. That is not right because it brings suffering to the people while they earn more money)," Marcos lamented.

'There is enough supply'

Amid the several policies being implemented to address rice issues, the President reiterated that the country has ample supply of rice.

"Gaya nang sabi ko noong namahagi tayo ng bigas sa Camarines Sur noong isang araw po: Sapat ang suplay ng bigas dito sa Pilipinas (Like what I said when we distributed rice in Camarines Sur the other day: There is enough supply of rice in the Philippines)," Marcos said.

"Ang kailangan lamang po ay maayos na pamamahala ng produksyon at bentahan nito (We only need to have a properly oversee the production and selling of rice)," Marcos added.

The Chief Executive cited that the country was able to post higher harvest in the second quarter of this year than last year of the same quarter.