Zamboanga City—Zamboanga City has been placed under a state of calamity Monday evening amid a rice shortage and incessant price increases of the grain in the area.
Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salaza convened the Local Price Coordinating Council as the City Council approved a resolution recommending the declaration of a state of calamity.
“The State of Declaration is to principally address the exorbitant and unconscionable price in the market. There are limited stocks avaialbe in the market contrary to the report of abundance as this was presented in the report of the city administrator and city agriculturist, the DA [Department of Agriculture] and DTI [Department of Trade and Industry],” the mayor said.
“With the created price monitoring council in place, proactive measures can be made to peg prices and ensure no hoarding,” she added in an interview Tuesday.
Acting City Agriculturist Carmencita Sanchez reported rice prices in six districts as follows: Tumaga District where rice prices were between P55/kg and P68/kg; Ayala District, between P60/kg and P70/kg; Culianan District, between P58/kg and P65/kg; Manicahan District, between P56/kg and P70/kg; Curuan District, between P56/kg and P60/kg; and Vitali District, between P46/kg and P60/kg.
“The LPCC has recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte the price ceiling of P46.10/kilo for Premium/Head rice and P37.50/kilo for well-milled rice,” Climaco said, as she instructed the City Agriculturist Office to continuously monitor the prevailing prices of rice available in the local markets in all districts.
Driver Jess Lacastesantos said he was “fortunate” he was able to buy a sack at P1200 but was surprised that the price went up to P1500 the day after.
“I would have been happy but I thought how difficult life would be if these price increases become monthly,” he said.
City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Officer Elmeir Jade Apolinario said the sudden price hike is due to the “shortage of rice supply and higher demand.”
Climaco’s next move was to secure available supply from hoarders and rice cartels as well as their protectors.
“Security forces are to be tapped. Once the Price Council starts its work, (we will) determine the whereabouts of bodegas that are not registered,” she said.