ILOILO CITY (PIA6) – Worried and frightened by possibilities – these are just some of the emotions that rice retailers have probably felt the first time they heard of the Executive Order No. 39 issued by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., mandating a rice price cap in the markets.

“Ang bugas bi mahal kuha namon tapos ginabaligya namon sa manubo nga presyo, so, apektado gid na kami eh,” Cliford Lozada from Calinog, Iloilo said in an interview

“Una anay daw nagworry gid kami nga baw maperdi kami kay baligya mo nubo ang bugas,” Delia Tribunsay, a 72-year old rice retailer from Tigbauan, Iloilo also said.

price sang bugas, so bali bisan magperdi  ta, ti kay amu na ang layi, so sundon ta. Nakabatyag gid kami nga perdi gid sa capital, may losses gid,” Geranda said.

Lozada, Tribunsay, and Geranda are just some of the rice retailers in Iloilo who expressed expected sentiments of worry as they incurred income losses due to the price cap mandate that they continue to follow.

But on Thursday, September 28, 2023, the three, together with the 314 other Ilonggo rice retailers who complied with the mandate, had somehow released the burdens they carry as they finally received their cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program-Economic Relief Subsidy (SLP-ERS).

The beneficiaries from the province and city of Iloilo who were verified by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for the third batch of payout received P15,000 each for them to cope with the impact of income losses due to the price cap.

Billy Tablati, 69 years old and one of the beneficiaries from Tubungan, Iloilo, thanked the government for the cash assistance, stressing that it would be a big help to regain their losses.

fulfill his promise of lowering the price of rice in the country.

“Bisan perdi ako to sang una at least may balik naman halin sa gobyerno, so, nagapasalamat gid ako sa gobyerno kay gintalupangod naman amon losses kay daw ginbayaran man gali kami kag natalupangdan man ang amon nga problema. Okay man siya [President Marcos Jr.] kay siling ya sang una tag P20 na lang ang kilo sang bugas, so gina-amat-amat ya na fulfill,” Tribunsay said.

Meanwhile, DTI-6 OIC regional director Ermelinda Pollentes clarified that there is no directive yet coming from the central office if there is another batch of payout, but stressed that DTI-6 will continue to monitor the markets.

“I hope this is a big help nga makabulig sa inyo. Bal-an namon nga naperdi man kamo pero intindihon ta lang and collaborate lang sa gobyerno kay gusto man sang gobyerno nga mabuligan kamo,” Pollentes added.

DSWD-6 regional director Atty. Carmelo Nochete, on the other hand, reminded beneficiaries to use the cash assistance properly and hoped that they are happy with the aid they got from the government.

“Tani they are all very happy, kay ang  aton gobyerno ara gid nga magabulig sa ila, especially sa tion sang pamigado. Amu gid man na papel sang gobyerno ta, especially sang DSWD,” Nochete said, hoping that the rice retailers can now feel a sigh of relief – a sign that they are now not worried and frightened by all the possible impacts of the price cap as the government is there to assist them and to provide win-win solutions to all affected sectors. (AAL/JNH/PIA6 Iloilo)