‘Pass-through fee removal to result in faster delivery’

MANILA, Philippines — The suspension of pass-through fees will not only bring down logistics costs but also ensure faster delivery of products, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

Executive Order 41 prohibits local government units from collecting pass-through fees on national roads and suspends the collection of any form of fees for all types of vehicles transporting goods.

“We are not only decreasing the cost, but also making the delivery faster so that the products coming from the farms, when they reach the market, are still fresh,” Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said in Filipino during an interview with Radyo Pilipinas.

In a news forum over the weekend, Trade Undersecretary Kim Lokin said EO 41 addresses the ease of doing business.

“It... ties into the mandate... given to us by the President along with the eight-point socioeconomic agenda to streamline and make doing business easier in the country,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“EO 41 will directly address the plight and the sentiments of the consumers right now, which is to try to help in lowering the cost so that at the end of the day when the product reaches them, goods and even services, it is lower,” she added.

Logistical costs contribute around 30 percent of a product’s retail price, she noted.

The Presidential Communications Office earlier said that EO 41 is aligned with the government’s strategies to revitalize local industries under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

Rice & Cash

The House of Representatives has partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to provide financial assistance to the poorest of the poor.

The “Malaya Rice Project” or the P4.5-billion “Rice & Cash” project is set to be unveiled this week, aimed at helping around three million individuals nationwide, including those in the low-income sector, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, single parents and indigenous people.

This comes after President Marcos issued a rice price cap, which prompted them to issue a P15,000 subsidy to rice retailers who will be affected by the price cut, along with the sari-sari store owners.

Recently, the agriculture department also issued another P12.7-billion subsidy for farmers.

“This is an initiative of the House and the DSWD to immediately help our fellow countrymen who are struggling while the government works on long-term solutions to hunger and expensive goods,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said.

Under this program, beneficiaries will receive P1,500 in cash assistance, with P570 intended for the purchase of 15 kilos of rice priced at only P38 per kilo.

Affordable rice will be sold outside payout centers on that day.

The remaining P930 can be used for other needs and expenses. Beneficiaries will come from around 250 congressional districts in the Philippines, based on a list to be submitted by congressmen.

“The government understands the hardships of our fellow countrymen, so we are taking immediate steps to alleviate their suffering. The government will not cease to assist the poor during these times because they need our help more than ever,” Romualdez said.

The House-DSWD joint program to provide cash assistance aims to promptly address the issue of poverty across the nation, resulting from the surging prices of rice and other commodities. — Delon Porcalla