DILG, Metro mayors tapped for rice-for-all implementation

MANILA, Philippines — To ensure the success of the Rice-for-All program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will tap the assistance of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Metro Manila mayors.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said yesterday the availability of rice at P42 per kilo in the markets would start once the agreement with the DILG and mayors in the National Capital Region is finalized.

De Mesa said the DA is also eyeing the services of the Food Terminal Inc.

“The FTI is tasked with the logistics and distribution of rice. It is possible that the FTI will manage directly,” he said.

According to De Mesa, the DA can also seek the help of associations and farmers’ cooperatives that manage the operations of Kadiwa stores.

De Mesa said the retail price of the staple remains high despite the implementation of Executive Order 62, which reduces rice tariff to 15 percent from 35 percent.

“There is a big increase in the price (of rice because) of the retailers and wholesalers,” De Mesa said.

He said the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law removed the regulatory power of the National Food Authority.

De Mesa maintained that the P42-per-kilo rice is not a band-aid solution.

“Based on our projection, it can be sustained. We will focus on the program to make sure it will be sustained,” he said.

The government allocated P5 billion for the Rice-for-All program.