The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) convened on Friday, Sept. 8 to finalize the initial list of small rice retailers who may qualify for government cash assistance to cushion the impact of the imposition of price caps on regular milled rice (RMR) and well-milled rice (WMR).

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian reiterated the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that the list of the small rice retailers who will be given cash aid under the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) must be inclusive.

During the meeting, the DSWD and DTI agreed that rice retailers located in wet markets, public markets, and other public areas, excluding supermarkets and convenience stores, will be eligible for a P15,000 cash assistance.

Gatchalian said “sari-sari” stores located outside of wet markets and public markets are now eligible for a P5,000 subsidy.

“Unlicensed rice retailers and sari-sari store owners selling rice are also included in the SLP payout which is in line with the President’s directive that the list of beneficiaries should be inclusive,” he pointed out.

Under the Republic Act 9501, also known as the Magna Carta for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, the amount of P15,000 has been determined as the maximum compensation that can be given to rice retailers who are classified as micro enterprises for losses incurred for at least seven days following the effectivity of Executive Order (EO) 39.

Based on the DTI guidelines, the P15,000 subsidy will be released through single payment under the following conditions:

Retailers with license issued by the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) and are engaged in the actual sale or offering for sale RMR and WMR rice within price ceiling at the time of surveillance or monitoring activity;

Retailers who are registered under the DTI as sole proprietors and retailers who are registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as partnerships and corporations and are engaged in the actual sale or offering for sale RMR and WMR rice within price ceiling at the time of surveillance or monitoring activity;

Unlicensed retailers engaged in the actual sale or offering for sale of RMR and WMR rice within price ceiling, as validated by the concerned DTI office at the time of surveillance or monitoring activity; and

Unlicensed retailers as validated by the Market Masters and/or verified by the relevant DTI Office after presentation of proof of actual selling of RMR and WMR rice within price ceiling at the time of effectivity of EO 39.

According to the DTI guidelines, “any rice retailer who meets the above criteria but is found to have violated EO 39 during the surveillance or monitoring activity by the concerned DTI office must submit additional proof of actual sale of RMR and WMR rice within the mandated price ceiling for a period of seven days from the date of commission of the violation.”