MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged the Filipino people on Friday to report violators of Executive Order (EO) No. 39, which sets the price ceiling on rice in the whole country.

“I would encourage anyone who finds that someone or a retailer is selling at above the price ceiling, i-report po ninyo, i-report ninyo sa pulis, i-report ninyo doon sa DA, doon sa lugar ninyo, i-report ninyo sa local government para matingnan po namin at tiyakin na hindi lalampas doon sa ating presyo na linagay na 40 pesos at saka 44 pesos,” President Marcos said.

The chief executive signed on August 31 the EO which set the mandated price ceiling of regular milled rice at PhP41.00 per kilogram while the mandated price cap for well-milled rice is at PhP45.00 per kilogram.

Asked how the government will ensure that the executive order will be strictly implemented, the President said the government has put a structure for the continuing monitoring of prices of rice in the market.

The government agencies tasked to monitor the implementation of the price caps are the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies, among others.

“Because all of those agencies already have regular inspections when it comes to other issues. So, they will now apply the price ceilings that I have ordered in the EO that I signed yesterday (Aug. 31), to make sure the prices stay within the limits that we have prescribed,” President Marcos said.

The Chief Executive said the government’s efforts will be focused in the National Capital Region (NCR) as he emphasized that the conditions “is not so bad outside” the metropolis.

Marcos though stressed that the order will be strictly implemented nationwide. (PND)