80% compliance with rice price cap noted — DTI Pangasinan
AFTER ONE WEEK
BASED on the latest inspection and price monitoring operation conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for rice retailers in Pangasinan, at least 80 percent of rice retailers in Pangasinan have since started to comply with Executive Order (EO) No. 39, that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. issued last week.
Guillermo Avelino, Jr., senior trade and industry development specialist in charge of the Consumer Protection Division, said despite the capital loss of P6 to P 9 per kilo, the rice retailers in the province abided by the mandated price ceilings for regular-milled and well-milled rice.
“On the first day of the implementation of the EO 39, 38 percent compliance rate was recorded and was followed by 42 percent. Now at least 80 percent of rice retailers in the province have already complied with the mandated price ceiling,” Avelino said in an interview on Thursday.
He said that as of September 6, 2023, DTI-Pangasinan listed 101 rice retailers in the province who incurred business losses.
“We are very thankful sa mga rice retailers natin dahil kahit masakit sa kanilang part andoon pa rin ‘yong compliance nila,” said Avelino, hoping that the supply of well-milled and regular-milled rice will remain adequate so that the compliance of retailers will remain high.
Avelino also warned retailers not to do any act of price manipulation and any violation will be dealt with accordingly, specifically that changing classification of well-milled rice into special of premium rice is a violation of the Consumer Act.
Meanwhile, Marie Mendoza, a consumer from San Carlos City, hoped that the price ceiling mandated by President Marcos would help indigent families cope with the increasing prices of basic and prime commodities.
“Sana nga po itong price ceiling ay mas mapababa pa nito ang presyo ng bigas dahil last week mas mataas ito. Buti ngayon bumaba nang kaunti. Kasi sa tulad kong palima-limang kilo lang ang nabibili, malaking bagay na ‘yong ilang pisong bawas,” she said. (PIA Pangasinan/EMSA)
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