section C national
filipino globe
news & views from home
April 2008
9
Government
Authorities
tighten
rejects price
watch on
hoarders
control, vows
Revenue authorities will begin
monitoring rice traders nationwide.
The move is aimed at keeping
the government in step with sales
activity to detect any rice hoarding.
rice security
“We’ll check how much tax these
traders are paying for rice that’s
bought and sold,” a BIR official
said.
Earlier, National Food Authority
assistant administrator Conrado
Arroyo says efforts should focus on
Ibañez dismissed speculation
about alleged rice shortage in the
distribution and law enforcement
country.
He said the NFA’s inventory as of
last month showed a 57 to 58-day
President Arroyo has rejected calls to “We have an action plan. First, we
buffer.
regulate the price of rice. need to ensure the supply to stabilize
The buffer consists of rice in the
Arroyo said regulating rice prices the market. Second, ensure that the
hands of NFA, farmers and the
would only worsen the situation. rice would reach the consumers, and business community.
“If we control the price of rice, all third is law enforcement – jail exploit- Ibañez said the summer rice
the more that supply would be gone,” ers and rice hoarders,” she said. harvesting season is also on so this
she said. Malacanang advised the public not
The government is expected to increase rice imports to ensure supply
will help boost supply of such grain.
Rice prices have gone up due to low to panic when government-subsidized
and stabilize prices before the start of the rainy season.
In Makati, mayor Jejomar Binay
production by rice-producing coun- rice at P18.25 per kilo is pulled from
distribution to those who need most new system of distribution to be in-
directed barangay officials to help
tries hit by climate change. markets in the next two weeks.
monitor potential hoarding as the
the P18.25 rice.” troduced by the government in Metro
Arroyo said the government has Deputy presidential spokesperson
price of rice continues to climb.
She said poor families would be Manila. The government would con-
taken measures to stabilize prices and Lorelei Fajardo said: “We just want to
“We need to enlist the support of
able to avail of the government-sub- tinue to sell the P25 per kilo commer-
ensure a steady supply. make sure that there would be proper
the local governments, specifically
sidized rice through “access cards,” a cial grade rice from the US.
the barangays,” he said.
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