ILOILO City – Starting tomorrow, Sept. 5, the price of regular milled rice will be at a maximum of P41 per kilogram while that of well-milled rice is P45 per kilogram nationwide. This presidential order has drawn mixed reactions from Ilonggo retailers and consumers.
“Kon mag-amo na ya, manira na lang kami. Indi kami magbaligya eh. Pierde kami,” said a rice retailer for more than 40 years at the Mandurriao district public market, Ma. Liza Bañas.
According to Malacañang, Executive Order (EO) No. 39 setting the price cap was in response to the rising prices of rice caused by illegal price manipulation and global events such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India’s ban on rice exportation, and rising oil prices.
“Daku pierde namon. Daku daan capital sina. Sobra guro P200 ang pierde mo sa isa ka sako kon sundon mo iya sang Presidente,” Bañas told Panay News.
The price ceiling will remain in effect until lifted by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. upon the recommendation of the Price Coordinating Councils, the Department of Agriculture (DA) of which he is the acting secretary, or the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Bañas said rice wholesalers and suppliers should lower their prices so retailers could comply with the price cap without incurring losses.
“Sirahan na lang namon ang bugasan. Indi na lang kami magbaligya sang bugas. Iban na lang baligya namon,” she added.
Bañas said she makes around P20 to P30 only for 25 kilograms, or half sack of rice.
The prices of rice she sells as of Sunday, Sept. 3, were as follows:
* well-milled rice – P55 per kilo
* local (black rice) – P60 per kilo
* local rice – P52 per kilo
* special rice (pilit) – P60 per kilo
* premium rice (Jasmine) – P57 per kilo
Celedonio Gorada, a rice retailer also at the Mandurriao public market, criticized the price cap, too.
“Daw indi gid na siguro mahimu. Depende sa naga-supply. Kon manubo sila, ti masunod kami,” said Gorada, a retailer for more than 20 years.
He said rice retailers would only defy the directive if they could no longer make profit, let alone cover their capital.
“Waay problema basta barato ang ginakuhaan namon, ang naga-supply. Pero kon ang ginakuhaan mo mahal, paano na ya masunod? Indi na ya masunod ang iya mando kon mahal ang kuhaan mo. Alang-alang mo pierdehan, waay sang mahatag sang barato, diin ka makuha?” he added.
The rice retailer noted that P45 per kilo is currently worth low-quality rice, either bahay or laon.
His rice is currently sold at:
* local rice (red) – P55 per kilo
* local rice (black) – P65 per kilo
* local rice (good white) – P54 per kilo
* special rice (pilit) – P60 per kilo
* special rice (Princess Bea) – P58 per kilo
* premium white rice (Royal Jasmine) – 57 per kilo
* local super white – P57 per kilo
Rice retailer Nida Nuñal of Barangay Oñate De Leon, Mandurriao district said before the national government implements a price cap, it has to control the prices of suppliers and wholesalers first.
“Ti, kon magnubo ang hatag sa amon, nuboan man namon,” she said.
For his part, Vicente Jinon of Leganes, Iloilo and who works at a rice retailing station in Jaro district said they will yield to the national government’s order.
Jinon said defying the order would get them hate from consumers and be flagged by the authorities.
“Sundon ta ang hambal sang aton gobyerno eh,” he said.
Consumers OK with lower prices
According to construction worker Jonel Torrigue of Barangay Sambag, Jaro district, lowering the price of rice is a big help.
He buys six kilos of rice or around P340 per week.
“Ang mga pigado subong daw malungo sa kamahal sang bugas. Pila na daan subong ang iguan na sina kada kilo,” Torrigue said.
Housewife Precille Alejandro from Iloilo City thinks the directive is good news.
“Maayo man kontani kon panuboan ya eh para indi man ta mabudlayan ka bakal ka pang-adlaw-adlaw nga pagkaon naton kay mahal-mahal na ang bugas,” she said.
Alejandro’s family consumes three to four gantang or 2.4 kilos of rice in a week. Each gantang costs P108 or P109.
“Salamat kon magnubo. Kon indi pa gid magnubo ah ti gutom na kita sina. Kada semana nagasinaka sila ya, ano na lang kita, indi kita magakaon?” she lamented.
Erlinda Cumoda of Jaro said lower prices are good news for consumers. But she also worries about the retailers.
She said retailers bought the current rice stocks at a higher price.
Cumoda hoped the national government would find a balanced solution for rice retailers and consumers.
Joel Sedigo, a job hire at the Iloilo City Government, said the P41 to P45 rice price under the Marcos administration is far from the President’s promise during the campaign period of P20 per kilo.
“Indi man na matabu. Indi ako ya magpati. Sang una pa na. Subong halos nagdangat na sa P20 gani ginsaka ya,” said Sedigo.
Because of this, Sedigo has to bear consuming low-quality rice that is within his budget.
Implementation
EO 39 directs the DTI and the DA to ensure the strict implementation of the mandated price ceilings, monitor and investigate abnormal price movements of rice in the market, and provide assistance to affected retailers, with the help of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
It also mandates the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to intensify its ongoing inspections and raids of rice warehouses to combat hoarding and illegal importation of rice in the country and facilitate the confiscation, seizure or forfeiture of smuggled rice as may be warranted by the law.
The DA is also instructed to share with the BOC relevant information, such as the inventory of rice stocks, the list of accredited rice importers, and the location of rice warehouses.
EO 39 orders the Philippine Competition Commission, in coordination with the DA and the DTI, to implement measures against cartels or those abusing their dominant position in the market to ensure fair market competition and uphold consumer welfare and protection.
The Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies are also mandated to render necessary assistance to the DTI and the DA to ensure the immediate and effective enforcement of the price ceilings on rice in the country. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency and Philippine Daily Inquirer)/PN
