President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said the government decided to distribute rice to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries to help them cope with the rising cost of living.
This, as Marcos Jr. distributed confiscated smuggled rice to 4Ps beneficiaries in General Trias City in Cavite, which came from the 41,000 sacks of smuggled rice recently confiscated by the Bureau of Customs in Zamboanga City.
“This is what we should give to the people,” Marcos said. “We want to ensure that all Filipinos have enough food supply,” he added.
Marcos also said that the government is working to improve the agricultural sector by increasing production, improving yield, and assisting in processing agricultural products.
He also said that the government is raising the buying price of rice from farmers to ensure that they have a good livelihood.
The President also said that the government is promoting biofertilizers to help farmers save on urea and reduce production costs.
“That’s what we do to ensure that all Filipinos have enough food supply. To feed their families, to feed themselves. That’s our goal, and the prices should be affordable for our countrymen,” Marcos said.
“We want to ensure the farmers have a good livelihood,” Marcos added.
In the same speech, Marcos said that the government is focused on pursuing rice hoarders and smugglers.
He discovered that these individuals are why rice prices have increased in the markets, which compelled him to implement a price cap.
“We are closely monitoring the smugglers. We will not stop until they are caught,” Marcos said.
Earlier this week, Marcos upheld the decision to enforce price limits on rice while also instructing the expansion of the rice buffer stock in the National Food Authority warehouses throughout the country to guarantee its accessibility at reasonable prices.
During a speech at a rice distribution event in Zamboanga City, Marcos highlighted that several Asian countries were actively working to boost their rice reserves ahead of the impending dry spell.
“(There are) countries in Asia (that) making sure they have a reserve, they have a buffer stock. And so they race (to get rice). So the price went up,” he said.
“Everyone buys. They are buying simultaneously; the price of rice also rises, so we have to put a price cap,” he added.
The Chief Executive has issued Executive Order 39, which requires a price cap of P41 for regular-milled rice and P45 for well-milled rice. This order became effective on 5 September.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla will go hard against those involved in rice smuggling, ordering the compilation of evidence against them for the filing of appropriate charges.