PANGASINAN’S rice retailers are still at an 80% compliance rate with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order No. 39 that set price ceilings for regularly-milled rice at P41 per kilogram and well-milled rice at P45 per kilogram, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Director Natalia Dalaten.

This percentage contradicts earlier reports of 90% to 95% compliance.

Dalaten warned a number of rice retailers not complying with the price cap, mostly those who claim only sell premium rice, which is outside the scope of E.O. 39.

To ensure compliance, the DTI, Department of Agriculture, Local Government Units, police, and other agencies continue to monitor rice retailers. However, sari-sari stores in barangays selling rice are not included in this monitoring.

Dalaten clarified that: well-milled rice has 30% of its grains broken, while regularly-milled rice has 40% of its grains broken.

She urged retailers not to engage in the practice of “palit sako,” where they transfer regularly-milled or well-milled rice to premium rice sacks for higher prices. Buyers who suspect deception should report the matter to the DTI or the police.

DTI said experts from the National Food Authority will investigate suspected violators (Leonardo Micua)

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