DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- Some 63 micro rice retailers in Negros Oriental received the P15,000 cash subsidy promised by the government to help them recover their profit losses brought by the imposition of price cap on the sale of regular and well-milled rice in the market.

The pay-out ceremony was held Sept. 14, 2023 at the Negros Oriental Convention Center, this city.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. made a promise early this month to give government subsidy to rice retailers whose businesses will be affected by the price cap as mandated by his Executive Order (EO) 39. 

The cash subsidy aims to help rice retailers partially recover their income losses since they are compelled to sell rice at a price lower from its actual price when they bought it from their suppliers.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has announced that DSWD will be in charge of distributing the cash aid.

Qualified beneficiaries can receive a maximum of P15,000.

The budget for the Cash Assistance for Micro Rice Retailers is taken from DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program - Economic Relief Subsidy (SLP-ERS). 

In Negros Oriental, the distribution of the said cash aid was supervised by DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, DTI-7 Regional Director Maria Elena Arbon, Department of Agriculture 7 Regional Director Angel Enriquez, Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Usec. Terence Calatrava, DTI Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio, and Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria.

Of the 63 beneficiaries, 17 were from Dumaguete City, 12 from Canlaon City, nine from La Libertad, five from Tayasan, four from Bindoy, four in Bais City, three from Guihulngan City, two from Ayungon, two from Sibulan,  and one each from Ayungon, Bayawan City, and Siaton.

Upon the implementation of the EO 39 on September 5, the provincial offices of DTI and DA conducted a price monitoring on the price of rice in the market.

Rice retailers who were found compliant with the Presidents’s directive were profiled by the DT, which then submitted the list to the DSWD for validation.

DTI and DSWD conducted a validation of the profiled retailers before the start of the turnover ceremony.

The total amount of cash subsidy disbursed in Negros Oriental totalled to P945,000.

DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero said Negros Oriental had the highest number of beneficiaries  for the cash assistance for micro rice retailers in Central Visayas, which totalled to 87 including those from Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor.

Lucero lauded them for complying with the President’s directive.

“I think from it comes from within na ang mga taga-Negros dali motuo.Kami ug tagana sa among pondo na ato gamiton aron mahatagan ang uban rice retailers. Hinaot mosunod pa ang uban ang retailers. Sa kanunay ang DSWD Nia to support our affected beneficiaries. As always, we are mandated to provide social protection niadto duna panginahanglan (I think it comes from within that the people of Negros Oriental are good followers. We at the DSWD are ready to utilize our funds to help rice retailers. We hope that more retailers will follow the President’s directive. DSWD is here to support our beneficiaries and as always we are mandated to provide social protection to those in need),” Lucero said.

Meanwhile, DTI-7 Regional Director Maria Elena Arbon said this undertaking is a display of a “whole government approach” in ensuring the welfare of both consumers and retailers amid this problem of increasing prices of rice.

“Gitabangan gud ni siya sa gobyerno para naay relief ang atong mga retailer kay kabalo ta naa sila na-incur na losses. This is like to ease the burden that you have, gi-sufer ninyo, gi-antos ninyo over the last two weeks (The government extended its effort to provide for the retailers because we know they have incurred losses. This is to ease the burden you have over the last two weeks),” Arbon said.

Bernard Bonganciso, a rice retailer from Canlaon City and a beneficiary of the cash aid, expressed his gratitude for the cash aid, noting that this helped reduced their income losses.

“Makatabang jud dako pero naa pa mi gamayng  nga alangaton nga gibakwi namo sa gikompra namong palay. Nikompra mi gud mi tag-P23 (per kilo) unya sa (Negros) Occidental pa. Mo-travel pa ta two to three hours. So ang kanang P15,000 dako na siya og tabang. Gamay na lang ang bakwiunon (This is a big help to us but we still have to recover a small portion from our capital. We bought the rice at P23 per kilo from Negros Occidental in which we have to travel for two to three hours. This P15,000 is a great help because it reduced the amount we need to achieve in order to cover our losses),” he said.

EO 39 sets the price cap of P41 per kilo for regular milled rice and P45 per kilo for well-milled rice. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)