60 rice retailers get cash support

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Cebu Provincial Office led the payout on the second batch of micro rice retailers in Cebu who were affected by the mandated price cap.

The 60 beneficiaries from Cebu received a one-time cash aid of P15,000.

These micro rice retailers have been adversely affected by the implementation of Executive Order (EO) 39, which imposed a price cap on rice.

EO 39, otherwise known as “Imposition of Mandated Price Ceilings on Rice,” which took effect last September 5 has capped regular milled rice (RMR) at P41 per kilo, while the well-milled rice was given a ceiling of P45 per kilo.

DTI-Cebu Province Chief of Consumer Protection Division Head Ines Cajegas said 20 of the 53 LGUs in Cebu have submitted their list of affected rice retailers.

Through DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program, they have disbursed a total of P3.6 million for the 241 rice retailers for Region VII for the second batch.

The simultaneous payout was done in the four (4) provinces: Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

The 60 beneficiaries were from Alcoy, Balamban, Compostela, Consolacion, Minglanilla, Pinamungajan and the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Toledo.

According to the DTI, qualified micro rice retailers for this subsidy include those registered with the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), registered as sole proprietors with the DTI, unregistered rice retailers validated by market administrators, and those verified by the DTI.

The DTI produced the list, while the DILG, in partnership with the LGUs, handles the logistics, including information dissemination to beneficiaries on the payout dates. The DSWD, on the other hand, is taking charge of the payout activities. – GAN (FREEMAN)