A total of 144 sari-sari store rice retailers in the province received P15,000.00 each from the national
government for complying with the rice price cap in a payout distribution on Sept. 28, at the Pase Del Rio, Roxas City.
“I will use the money to buy well-milled and regular milled rice to replenish my stocks,” said alias Zoilo from Tapaz town.
The third batch of beneficiaries of the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Sustainable Livelihood Program – Economic Relief Subsidy (SLP-ERS) composed the 358 beneficiaries of the financial assistance in the province.
Based on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Office data, the first batch comprised 29 micro rice retailers who received their subsidy last Sept. 14 while the second batch of the payout last Sept. 21 benefited 185 micro rice retailers.
“Our heartfelt thanks to the national government especially to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for the cash assistance which will help us defray our losses in complying with his Executive Order No. 39,” said Roxas City Cereals Association (RCCA) president Edilberto Cambe in Hiligaynon during the Sept. 14 payout.
The retailer’s group based at the Teodoro Arcenas Trade Center here was also among the first in the region to publicly announce compliance with the mandatory imposition of a rice price cap after a series of consultations and dialogue initiated by the DTI, Department Agriculture (DA) and Provincial Price Coordinating Council (PPCC).
The rice price ceiling is stipulated in Executive Order No. 39 issued by Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. that took effect Sept. 5 nationwide.
The EO puts the price of regular milled rice at P41.00 per kilo and well-milled rice at P45.00 each kilogram.
The mandated price ceilings shall remain in full force and effect unless earlier lifted by the President upon the recommendation of the Price Coordinating Council or the DA and DTI.
