DA sells P40/kg of rice in some NCR markets, train stations

Metro Manila, Philippines — Consumers in select Metro Manila areas may avail of cheap rice at P40 per kilogram (kg) in select public markets and train stations beginning Thursday, Dec. 5, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said, as the government finds ways to lower the price of the staple.

Consumers can buy well-milled rice from local producers and imports in one or two “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” kiosks in the five participating markets.

The Agriculture Department said the “Rice for All” program will be initially rolled out in the following monitored markets with the highest price ranges for rice:

+ Guadalupe Public Market, Mandaluyong City

+ Kamuning Market, Quezon City

+ Malabon Central Market, Malabon City

+ New Las Piñas City Public Market, Las Piñas City

+ Pasay City Public Market, Pasay City.

Commuters will also see rice retail stalls in MRT-3 North Avenue Station and LRT-1 Monumento Station.

The cheap rice would be sold Tuesday to Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra said retailers initially rejected the plan, particularly in giving the government kiosk a space in the public market.

“Pero nong sinabi natin meron silang cut dito eh pumayag naman sila… ibig sabihin mas mababa namin ibibigay sa kanila para ibenta nila ng P40,” Guevarra said in a news conference on Wednesday.

[Translation: But when we said they could also have a cut, they agreed to that. It means we can give the stocks at a lower price so that they could sell the commodity at P40.]

Asked if the price would remain at P40 throughout the program, Agriculture spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said: “Abangan natin sa susunod na araw kung ano ang magiging response ng market.”

“We will respond doon sa market forces and eventually kung bababa kagaya ng nangyayari ngayon, bumababa eventually,” De Mesa said.

[Translation: Let’s wait for the coming days for the market response. We will respond to market forces and eventually, just like what we already saw in the past, the prices would go down.]

The “Rice for All” program began in August with an initial price of P45, and was limited to Kadiwa centers. The government has been reducing the price of the staple to reflect the impact of a tariff cut.

Javier Villena, a retailer at Kamuning Public Market, has begun selling P40 per kg of local well-milled rice this week.

“Kung kinakailangan ng masa ay maiiwasan ba?” Villena told NewsWatch Plus. “Hindi lang naman ‘yan ang presyo ng bigas maraming mas maganda, mas mataas.”

“Karamihan din naman ng binibili ng mangangain at ng masa ay ‘yong mahigit ng kwarenta,” he added.

[Translation: If the public needs it, can we avoid it? It’s not only the price of rice. Others with better quality are sold at a higher price. What most consumers buy is the rice product with a cost of over P40.]

De Mesa assured consumers that the kiosk would be replenished with stocks, and there is no purchase limit.

“Kung titingnan natin ang trend na bumibili [ng Rice for All], ang binibili nila 5, 10 kilos. Bibihira na bibili nang sobrang dami na pwedeng i-hoard at ibenta ulit,” he added.

[Translation: If we check the trend of those who buy the product under the “Rice for All” program, they only buy 5, 10 kilos. It’s rare that someone buys too much volume that could pass as hoarding and reselling.]

The “Rice for All” program will be expanded throughout major public markets in Metro Manila before major cities in the country, the DA said.