PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) -- The city government will temporarily waive the rentals and excise duties of rice retailers in the markets of Puerto Princesa to help them cope with the impacts of the mandated price ceiling on rice.

Mayor Lucilo Bayron said that the city government wants to help rice retailers in Puerto Princesa markets as they also struggle with the mandated price ceiling. The price ceiling was implemented through Executive Order No. 39, which mandates a price ceiling for regular and well-milled rice.

“Ang rice control council ng Puerto Princesa ay pinag-usapan [ito] kasi gusto natin tulungan ang rice retailers dahil apektado talaga sila dahil mahirap din, hindi sila makabenta ng sobra sa presyo dahil yun ang tinakda," he said.

The regular milled rice is mandated to be sold at P41, while well-milled rice is P45. The order was issued after the recommendation given by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to help reduce the economic impact of the prices on Filipinos.

The EO 39 also noted that despite the sufficiency of rice supply in the country, the two departments observed a widespread practice of alleged illegal price manipulation.

Bayron said that waiving payments will take effect until the price ceiling is implemented in the markets.

"Basta ang kaya namin, walang bayad sa palengke, walang arkabala, iyon lang. Wala na rin kami magawang iba. Lahat ng palengke na kami ang nagkokontrol sa city," he said. (RPG/PIA Mimaropa - Palawan)