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DILG: Reactivated Local Price Coordinating Council ensures food availability, protection of consumers at local level
DILG: Reactivated Local Price Coordinating Council ensures food availability, protection of consumers at local level
By Chito Chavez
The reactivation of the Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) is a major factor in monitoring the supply and price of rice and other prime commodities in the localities, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) asserted on Sunday, May 18.
In a statement, the DILG stated that 1,350 local government units (LGUs) nationwide have revived their respective LPCCs to support the goal of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. in lowering the price of rice.
Field reports show that 1,269 LGUs are now conducting regular market inspections, 230 have deputized barangay officials and non-government organizations (NGOs) to monitor price spikes, and 1,201 are coordinating with national agencies to address hoarding and unjustified price hikes.
Under Memorandum Circular 2025-044, the DILG urged all LGUs to activate their LPCCs, following the recommendation of the National Price Coordinating Council and aligned with the Department of Agriculture’s "Bantay Presyo" initiative.
The LPCC is chaired by the local chief executive and includes national agency representatives, private sector stakeholders, and consumer groups. Its key functions include market inspection, price monitoring, and analysis of commodity price fluctuations.
The DILG is closely monitoring the LGUs’ compliance to the directive to protect the public from unwarranted price hikes of prime commodities, specifically rice and ensure their availability in the local market.
Recently, the DILG-Cordillera Administrative Region (DILG-CAR) called on the region’s LGUs to enforce the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) on imported rice to prevent unjust markups in the local markets.
DILG-CAR Director Araceli San Jose called on the governors, mayors and even the punong barangays (village chiefs) to implement the P49 per kilo rice price ceiling “without exception."
“Upholding this rate ensures that rice remains affordable for every household,” San Jose said.
In an advisory dated April 29, 2025, DILG Assistant Secretary for Local Government Jesi Howard S. Lanete reiterated the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Administrative Circular No. 05, Series of 2025 which prescribes an MSRP of P49.00 per kilogram of imported rice (5 percent broken) in all public and private markets nationwide, effective March 10 of this year.
Under Republic Act (RA) 7581 otherwise known as “The Price Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR)", the DA has the authority to regulate basic-commodity pricing.
Pursuant to DA Administrative Circular No. 05, Series of 2025, this price ceiling is designed to protect consumers from unjustified mark-ups and to maintain market stability.
“Local chief executives are reminded to disseminate the Advisory to their markets and barangays and to report any violations to the DILG-CAR Office for appropriate action under the Price Act," San Jose noted.