BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - The  regional line agencies   involved in the monitoring of compliance to the rice price cap for regular and well milled rice set under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order No. 39  expressed   gratitude to the rice retailers who support the program to ensure the availability of affordable rice variety in the market.

This  as   Department of Social Welfare and Development– Cordillera(DSWD-CAR), in partnership with the regional and Baguio – Benguet offices of the Dept. of Trade and Industry(DTI),   Dept. of the  Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Agriculture(DA) led  on Thursday( Sept. 14)   the distribution of financial assistance to 55 micro rice retailers in Baguio – Benguet who were affected by the imposition of  rice price cap.

 Each  qualified rice retailer  received P15,000 as provided under the Sustainable Livelihood Program - Economic Relief Subsidy (SLP – ERS) of the DSWD.

Department of Trade and Industry – Cordillera (DTI – CAR) Assistant Regional Director Samuel Gallardo thanked the rice retailers for their support to the national government initiative.

 “Thank you very much for all that you do for our consumers. Rest assured that we will provide whatever help we can sa lahat ng mga retailers na tumutulong sa gobyerno para mabigyan ng kaukulang bigas ang ating mga kababayan”, Gallardo said.

 “Maliit lamang itong P15,000 na ibibigay sa inyo kumpara doon sa potential na lugi ninyo. Kung wala kayong lugi,  very good, meron kayong natanggap na bonus na P15K pero kung nalugi kayo at bumili po kayo ng bigas sa mas mataas na presyo at hindi ninyo mababawi dahil ibinebenta nyo ng P41 at P45, let this be a token of our appreciation to you for being pro – Filipino,” he added.

 DA – CAR  Regional Technical Director for Operations Danilo Daguio also expressed appreciation for the rice retailers who supported EO 39.

“Kami ay nagpapasalamat na kayo ay nakiki-cooperate sa amin sa ating problema sa bigas that is considered as a basic commodity na kapag tumaas ang presyo o nagkulang ang supply, everybody is affected,” he said.

DSWD – CAR Assistant Regional Director for Operations Amelyn Cabrera  said  the government is doing its best to provide assistance to the affected rice retailers.

 “Sa inyo na mga nandirito na tatanggap, ito ay maliit lamang na tulong ng gobyerno dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng bigas. Anu man ho ang maibibigay sa inyo ngayon alam naming kulang ito but  our government is doing something to provide assistance,” Cabrera said. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)