No rice crisis in Region 6

BACOLOD CITY – Governors of the four provinces in Western Visayas (Region 6) gave assurances during a Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting last Monday that the region has sufficient rice supply.

Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez, who chairs the RDC, said her province has even increased its rice production by about 30 percent compared to last year’s harvest.

“Rice shortage in the region is unlikely,” she said, adding that Iloilo, Aklan and Guima­ras have also produced more than enough to cover any shortage that may arise in Negros Occidental.

Perez, however, said that despite the sufficient supply, prices of well-milled rice have continued to increase to as much as P38 per kilo.

“We are looking into allegations of price manipulation,” she said, adding that the governors have agreed to strictly monitor the situation by closely coordinating with rice traders in their respective provinces.

Iloilo Gov. Neil Tupas said they have monitored traders selling their stocks to neigh­boring provinces to take advantage of the high prices.