MANILA, Philippines — Senators are pushing for nationwide implementation of the suggested retail price (SRP) for rice to benefit more consumers.
Sens. Cynthia Villar and Sherwin Gatchalian have expressed support for the government’s plan to impose sanctions against traders and retailers violating the SRP rule.
“Government agencies can go around the country and check (retailers and traders) that don’t follow the SRP… I don’t think they’ll lose profit even with SRP,” Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture, said.
Gatchalian fully supported the administration’s move to impose sanctions on SRP violators.
“Those taking advantage of the tight rice supply must be punished because the poor are being hurt even more,” Gatchalian said.
He, however, said the implementation of sanctions against erring traders and retailers is just a stop-gap measure.
“We must also pursue more permanent solutions, such as the passage of the Rice Tariffication Bill and its immediate implementation as law,” the senator said.