MANILA -- There is enough rice supply in the country but gaps in distribution disrupt market availability and supply, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Saturday.

“Pero ang dami pa rin kulang, ang dami pa rin kulang sa pag-distribute. Marami naman tayong bigas hindi lang nailalabas nang tama. Kaya’t hindi problema ang supply sa atin dito sa Pilipinas,” President Marcos said during a rice distribution event in Iriga City.

“Sabi ng Department of Agriculture ay mas malaki ang ani natin ngayon taon na ito kaysa sa nakaraan kaya’t sa production side naman ay nagiging maayos. Ngunit, kailangan natin ayusin ang sistema mula sa pagtanim, mula sa pag-research and development, hanggang sa pagtanim, hanggang sa processing, hanggang sa distribution, marketing, hanggang sa retail.”

The government is already implementing the necessary reforms, Marcos said, hoping that the public could soon feel the effects of those measures.

Asked during a media interview on the status of the implementation of the price ceiling on rice, Marcos said that with the start of harvest season, rice prices will soon drop in the market.

“Sa palagay ko, pagpasok ng ani, dahil papasok na, nag-aani na tayo at pagpasok niyan, sa palagay ko makikita na natin na bababa ‘yung presyo,” he said.

“Market forces. Baka kung ‘yung merkado mismo ang bumababa na ang presyo, puwede na nating bawasan ‘yung mga kontrol na nilagay natin.”

For the meantime, Marcos said the government has to implement measures such as the imposition of price cap, provision of cash aid to rice retailers, as well as setting new palay buying price range for the National Food Authority (NFA) to help farmers and secure inventory.

On August 31, President Marcos issued Executive Order (EO) No. 39 to address the current surge of retail prices of rice, driven by market manipulation by hoarders and smugglers.

Under EO 39, the mandated price ceiling for regular milled rice is set at P41 per kilogram, while well-milled rice is pegged at P45 per kilogram.

“Kaya’t yun ang mga ating ginagawa,” the President told the crowd in the rice distribution event in Iriga.

“Ngayon napilitan tayo na mag-price cap dahil naalarma talaga ako. Kung ako lang, ayokong pakialaman ang merkado ngunit hindi naman tama ang takbo ng merkado dahil kinakalikot nga nung mga hoarder at saka ng mga smuggler. Kaya’t naglagay tayo ng price cap,” Marcos said. (PND)