The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will assist Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) to monitor prices of rice in public markets in the National Capital Region in support of the implementation of Executive Order No. 39.
The EO 39 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. set the mandatory price ceilings for regular milled rice at ₱41 per kilogram and well-milled rice at ₱45 per kilogram nationwide.
“We will convey to other national government agencies the feedback regarding the implementation of E.O. 39,” said MMDA acting chairman Romando Artes.
On Tuesday, Artes and other officials from local and national government offices conducted an inspection at two public markets in Metro Manila. The MMDA team went to Agora Public Market in San Juan City and Mega Q Mart in Quezon City with Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., Department of Trade and Industry Asec.
Agaton Teodoro Uvero, Agriculture Senior Usec. Domingo Panganiban, Metro Manila Council President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.
“During our rounds in the market, we saw that the rice retailers follow the mandated price ceilings,” said Artes.
Abalos, on his part, assured rice retailers that the price ceiling is temporary and a stopgap measure to ensure rice is accessible and reasonably priced for Filipinos.
He commended local chief executives for their initiatives and support of President Marcos’ directive.
Some local executives even extended assistance to affected rice retailers through the provision of stalls for free or discounted fees, as seen in Mandaluyong City.
Abalos emphasized that the LGUs rose to the occasion and provided assistance to affected rice retailers, ensuring that the country was not in crisis.