In a gathering in Zamboanga City this Tuesday, journalists asked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if there is still hope that the kilo of rice in the country will be reduced to P20, which he has longed for.
According to the president, this can still happen when the agricultural sector and the cost of agricultural product production become stable.
“May chance lagi ‘yan. Kung maayos natin ang production natin at maging maayos, hindi na tayo masyadong bagyuhin at ‘yung mga tulong na ibinibigay natin sa mga farmer ay magamit na nila,” explained Marcos.
“Ngunit, kapag talaga nagawa natin ang cost of production binaba natin ay bababa rin ang presyo ng bigas. Bababa rin lahat. Basta’t mas mataas ang ani, kahit na puwede nating ipagpantay ang presyo,” he added.
In such a gathering in the said city, Marcos distributed sacks of rice. The authorities recently confiscated 42,000 sacks of smuggled rice from other countries.
The president assured that the government is doing everything to fix the agriculture sector.
Pres. Marcos says P20 per kilo of rice always a possibility
“Alam niyo po ang inuna ko sa lahat nang ginagawa sa gobyerno ang agrikultura. Kaya ipagpatuloy natin na may sapat tayo na pagkain para sa buong Pilipinas. At bukod pa doon kailangan ay kayang bilhin at hindi masyadong mahal, kayang bilhin ng ating mga kababayan,” said Marcos.
The president also said that the government will strictly monitor the entry of smuggled rice because it has affected the supply and price of rice in the country.
“Kailangan nating higpitan ang pagbabantay sa mga ilegal na imported o smuggled rice na bigas. Kasi ang nangyayari po itong smuggled na bigas, yung may-ari niyan hindi po nila ipagbibili yan. ‘Mag-aantay ‘yan, iipitin nila ang suplay hanggang tumaas ang presyo,” he explained.
Besides Zamboanga City, rice was distributed in Sibuco in Zamboanga del Norte, and Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Recently, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 39 to put a price ceiling on regular milled rice at P41 per kilo and P45 per kilo on well-milled rice.
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