ILOILO CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is monitoring rice prices in Western Visayas region following a 15 percent tariff reduction early this month.
A RICE stall at La Paz Public Market in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
Grace Benedicto, chief of the DTI-6 Consumer Protection Division, said 30 rice establishments have been monitored.
In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture-6, the DTI-6 is monitoring stores selling regular milled rice, well-milled rice, or special premium rice.
The monitoring is part of the implementation of Executive Order No. 62 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on June 29 that reduced tariff for imported rice by 15 percent to 20 percent from 35 percent effective July 5.
The DTI-6 is monitoring rice prices in groceries and supermarkets in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental provinces as well as the highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod.
Benedicto said the monitoring is not exclusive only to the retail price of one kilogram of rice. The monitoring also covers the prices of rice for five, 10, and 25 kilograms.