DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The local government here has created a committee that will ensure the stable price of rice being sold in the city.
On September 13, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio signed Executive Order No. 23 series of 2018 creating the Rice Supply and Price Monitoring Committee in a bid to protect the city from the same rice shortage issues in various cities.
The EO states that the committee “will properly regulate and ensure that the price of rice in the city would be just, reasonable and affordable”.
The committee will be led by Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio or her duly appointed representative.
The committee is also composed of the Chairperson of Committee on Agriculture and Food, and representatives from the Business Bureau, City Economic Enterprise, City Agriculture Office, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Agriculture (DA)
Under the executive order, functions of the Committee are the following:
· To conduct s study, analysis and evaluation on the cases of price fluctuations of Rice within the City;
· To recommend measures to address unwarranted rice price increase and supply shortages;
· Regular monitoring and inspection of public and private market, stores, as well as rice warehouses;
· Activate Hotlines and Consumers Complaints Desks;
· Deputize Barangay Officials and NGOs to monitor abnormal rice price increases;
· Actively coordinate with other appropriate government agencies to prevent unwarranted rice price increases and hoarding of rice;
· Perform such other functions analogous to the foregoing or as may be directed by the City Mayor
While City Councilor Marissa Abella, chairperson of Committee on Agriculture and Food suggested on Tuesday that the local government may also focus in improving the rice production of the city.
Councilor Abella pointed out that Davao has a vast agricultural area like in Marilog and Paquibato.
She is looking into the possibility of adapting practices of rice terraces on mountainous part in these areas.
“Hopefully we could add rice production also so that there will be sufficient [rice] supply” Abella said.
According to the latest price monitoring report of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the average wholesale price of well-milled rice was at P45.51 per kg during the first week of September 2018, 15.8 percent higher compared to the same period last year.Its average retail price also increased to P48.40 per kg, up by 14.58 percent.
The wholesale price of regular-milled rice was P42.59 per kg, 19.74 percent higher than the same period of the previous year. Its average retail price also increased 19.04 percent to P45.27 per kg. (davaotoday.com)
