Bacolod to provide rice supply to market rice retailers

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The local government here will provide 150 sacks of well-milled rice to at least 3,000 rice retailers in three major public markets amid the imposition of a price ceiling on rice nationwide.

Atty. Romeo Carlos Ting Jr., head of the City Legal Office (CLO), said yesterday that 50 sacks of rice will be provided each to Libertad Public Market, Burgos Public Market, and Central Public Market.

Ting said that retailers will buy the sacks of rice at a lower price from the city government so that they can sell it at P45 per kilogram, which is the price ceiling for well-milled rice nationwide.

On Tuesday, Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez directed City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III and Ting to form a team for the strict implementation of Executive Order (EO) 39, or the price ceiling for regular milled rice at P41 per kilo and P45 for well-milled rice.

The EO, which was earlier signed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was issued effective September 5, to address the rising food prices, which has resulted in a considerable economic strain on Filipinos, particularly those who are underprivileged and marginalized.

Benitez assured that the city will properly implement the EO 39. “Let’s make sure that we have enough enforcement personnel to go around in different markets,” he added.

The local chief executive said that he will personally conduct inspections in markets in various barangays to ensure the compliance of rice retailers.

Meanwhile, the City Administrator’s Office will supervise the distribution of rice supply in the three markets, according to Ting.

If this will be successful, Ting said that they will also provide the same to small markets at the barangay level. He said that there is enough rice supply in the city.