The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will distribute P15,000 one-time cash assistance to small rice retailers affected imposed price ceiling on rice.
According to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, they are waiting for the list of qualified small rice retailers from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), adding that they will distribute the aid next week once they receive it.
Gatchalian said that the P5.5 billion budget allocated for the sustainable livelihood program (SLP) came from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to ease the impact of the temporary price cap, helping rice vendors from expected losses.
On the other hand, in an interview with Gerry Baja and Anthony Taberna on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos assured the rice retailers that the government is already taking action on the issue.
"Sa rice retailers, wag kayong mag-alala at ang isyu na 'yan ay talagang inaasikaso. Narecognize agad ito ng ating Pangulo. Dahil dito ay kinausap niya ang DSWD at naghanap siya ng pondo para makatulong naman," he said.
"May mga mekanismo nang dumarating ngayon. Hindi lamang ito suporta galing national yung ayudang ibibigay, galing din ito sa kalakhang Maynila," the DILG chief continued.
Abalos asked for a wider understanding from the rice retailers, saying that the price ceiling for rice is only temporary.
"Sa rice retailers, wag kayong mag-alala at ang isyu na 'yan ay talagang inaasikaso," he said.
Under Executive Order 39, retailers in local markets and stores must sell regular-milled rice for P41 per kilogram and well-milled rice for P45 per kilogram.
