TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 19 (PIA) -- Around 434 micro rice retailers in Bohol who have complied with the mandated rice price ceiling received their P15,000 cash assistance payout from the government.
The cash payout was led by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through Social Welfare And Development (SWAD) Bohol Officer Jimmy Crusio, along with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Bohol Officer-In-Charge Vierna Teresa Ligan and Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Cajes-Yap.
The micro rice retailers are from 24 towns in Bohol.
It may be recalled that upon the recommendation of the DTI and the Department of Agriculture, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, issued Executive Order (EO) No. 39 in response to the sudden surge in the retail price of rice.
However, on October 4, 2023, the price cap on rice had already been lifted.
Tasked to monitor and implement the EO 39, the DTI partnered with local price coordinating councils to evaluate the compliance of small scale retailers and then followed the validations, said Ligan.
Initially, there were six retailers who were first validated and became the first batch of those who were found to be compliant with the price cap, DTI said.
“And then, we paid 317 micro rice retailers representing the region’s first and second payout,” DSWD-7 shared.
"Those who could qualify then were small time rice retailers who have at least a business name and registration from the DTI, and then just recently, we have in the list those who own at least a Mayor’s permit to operate," Ligan added.
In Bohol, with P15,000 for each of the 434 micro retailers, the government released P6.51 million through the DSWD under its Sustainable Livelihood Program’s (SLP) P29.79M assistance funds for Region 7.
Among the Bohol towns, the widest compliance was monitored in Guindulman with 65 retailers receiving the cash payout, followed by Ubay with 60 retailers, and then Lila with 35 retailers.
"We have not received any instructions from the Central Office as to the next batch, but we have committed to continue the monitoring, evaluation and validation," according to the DTI.
This third payout included the 434 rice retailers from the towns of Alburquerque, Anda, Antequera, Baclayon, Batuan, Bilar, Calape, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Dagohoy, Dimiao, Guindulman, Lila, Loay, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sierra Bullones, Tagbilaran, Talibon, Trinidad, Ubay and Valencia.
Before they received their cash aid, the retailers signed a memorandum of undertaking attesting that the retailers are qualified to receive the assistance, that they were directly engaged or offering rice for sale, and that they have been compliant with the price ceilings, explained Crucio.
(RAHC/PIA-7 Bohol)
