BACOLOD CITY – The city government will provide at least 150 sacks of well-milled rice to 3,000 rice retailers in three major public markets here amid the nationwide price ceiling on the staple.
City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said on Wednesday, September 6, that 50 sacks of rice will be provided each to Libertad Public Market, Burgos Public Market, and Central Public Market.
Ting said that retailers can buy the sacks of rice at a lower price from the city government, to enable them to sell it at P45 per kilogram, which is the price ceiling for well-milled rice.
He said that the City Administrator’s Office will supervise the distribution of rice supply in the three markets.
Ting said that they will also provide it to small markets in the barangay if their strategy in markets is successful.
He said that there is enough supply of rice in this city.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez here has ordered the creation of a team to ensure the strict enforcement of Executive Order (EO) 39 or the price ceiling for regular milled rice at P41 per kilogram and P45 for well-milled rice.
Benitez said that he will personally conduct inspections in markets in barangays to ensure the compliance of rice retailers.
“We will ensure that the city will properly implement the EO 39. “Let’s make sure that we have enough enforcement personnel to go around in different markets,” he added.
The EO states that to address the rising food prices, which has resulted in a considerable economic strain on Filipinos, particularly those who are underprivileged and marginalized, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry recommended the imposition of mandated price ceilings on rice in the whole country.
The EO was signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last month and is effective September 5.