(Eagle News)–The Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM), an association of rice traders, has vowed to continue working with the government to provide consumers with affordable and quality rice even if some stakeholders are not receptive to a recent executive order that effectively put a cap on the staple’s prices.
“Maaari pong hindi maintindihan ng lahat sa simula pero eventually po sa sama-samang pagtutulong ng ating mga kasamahan sa industriya ng bigas ay mapapagtagumpayan din po lahat ito at maihahain po natin sa ating mga consumers ang ating murang bigas, na ito po ang layunin ng ating Pangulo,” PRISM lead convenor Rowena Sadicon said in a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office.
She said her organization would continue talks with the administration, adding that their aim was the same as the government’s.
“Ang gusto po natin ay magkaroon ng maayos na bigas sa ating pamilihan, na mabigyan po natin ng tamang presyo, na kung ano po ‘yung hinihiling sa atin,” she said.
She added she hoped for normalcy in the coming days particularly with the start of the palay harvest season which is expected to stabilize rice prices in the country.
EO No. 39, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on August 31, said that President Bongbong Marcos had approved the joint recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade of Industry (DTI) for the cap.
Under the EO, the price ceiling for regular milled rice was pegged at P41.00 per kilogram and the price cap for well-milled rice at P45.00 per kilogram.