Soccsksargen rice retailers immediately comply with the mandated price cap of P41 for the regular milled rice and P45 for the well-milled rice upon the nationwide implementation of EO No. 39 on September 5. (Photo: PIA 12 SarGen)
KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- Rice retailers in Soccsksargen are grateful for the imposition of the rice price cap despite experiencing some losses in their business.
For them, Executive Order (EO) No. 39 is still a blessing, as it means giving back to their favored customers who continue to help their small business grow and, at one time, have found difficulty providing food for their family due to the soaring prices of staple commodities in the market.
"We are thankful to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the assistance for us, rice retailers. Though we have losses in our small business, we are still happy that we can help our fellow kababayans with the reduction in the price of rice," Regan Lagod, a micro-rice retailer in Kidapawan City, said, noting that he feels happy that the mandated price cap has brought some relief to the majority of people.
He was also thankful that the EO only covers well-milled rice and regular-milled rice.
Another rice retailer and farmer, Lomar Africa of M’lang, Cotabato, also expressed appreciation for the move of national government to extend financial aid to farmers like him so they can recover from the low-buying price of palay.
"As a farmer and at the same time a rice retailer, I am thankful that the government has provided cash assistance, as this somehow could help us," Africa told the Philippine Information Agency Region 12.
Micro-rice retailers in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, avail of the government’s subsidy in line with the implementation of Executive Order No. 39 imposing rice price ceilings during the DSWD XII's pilot distribution of cash assistance held on September 12. (Photo: DSWD 12)
Based on the data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XII, a total of 147 micro rice retailers in the region have already received P15,000 each as an economic relief subsidy during the agency’s pilot distribution under its Sustainable Livelihood Program.
Of the said number, 27 are from Sultan Kudarat, 21 from South Cotabato, 60 from Cotabato Province, 20 from Sarangani, and 19 from General Santos City.
Consumer Nelson Lorete of Koronadal City is thankful for the implementation of the price cap, saying that life gets harder by the day due to inflation.
"For me, the price cap is good, but it would be better if the price of rice continues to lower even more, and we are hoping that the President will continue to address this concern," he said.
Food vendor Arjessa Adoy of General Santos City thanks President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for signing EO 39, saying this would not only ensure food on the table for her family but a few peso savings out of the change from buying a kilo of rice to add to her children’s "baon." (Photo: PIA 12 SarGen)
Arjessa Adoy of General Santos City likewise lauded the government for the imposition of a price cap.
"It’s beneficial for the people now that the price of rice is below P50," she said, emphasizing that it would help families provide food on their tables.
Based on the executive order, regular-milled rice is sold at P41 per kilo, while well-milled rice is at P45 per kilo.
"Based on our recent price monitoring with concerned agencies, almost all rice retailers in the region are now compliant with the EO," Abdulkadil Ango, OIC chief of the Department of Agriculture XII’s Agri-business and Marketing Assistance Division, said.
He added that the department, through its EO 39 Task Force, continues to strengthen not only its monitoring but also its information drive to educate more rice retailers on the importance of the executive order to successfully implement it in the entire Soccsksargen region.
Ango also advised consumers to coordinate with their respective local government units for any complaints or inquiries. They may also contact the DSWD 12 hotline at 8888 for other related concerns. (SJDM – PIA Region 12)
