President Marcos issued Executive Order 39 where in the Government has been implementing a

nationwide rice price ceiling for regular milled rice at Php 41.00 per kilo and for well-milled rice at Php
45.00 per kilo after it saw a surge in the commodity’s retail prices. They issued the new EO 39 to address
a spike in prices of the national staple amid reports of hoarding and price manipulation.

However, while consumers celebrated the cheaper rice. Rice retailers reeled from the financial pain
caused by Marco’s order. “Ay kung ganun mag papahinga na lang diba, parang imaginary price lang ‘yon
eh” rice retailer Shane said. Shane says she allocates at least 2,400 pesos for every 50 pesos of rice at
capital that’s equivalent to 48 pesos per kilo without their mark up cost yet. “We are losing P5 per kilo
for well-milled rice, and if you multiply that by 50 kilos per sack, that will be equivalent to a loss of P250
per sack. Our losses will be somewhere like P5,000 to P7,500 daily,” GRECON national president James
Magbanua said. Magbanua emphasized that profiteering are not from the retailers as they only buy our
rice and only increase the prices between P2 and P4 per kilo. The department of social welfare. and
development said that small retailers will get a maximum subsidy of P15,000 to cover the losses. “We
also want to support the executive order, although we want to raise our concerns as the most of our
members in the Philippines were not able to prepare for the Executive Order”, Magbanua said. The
government allotted an estimated P1 billion for the grant of assistance to cash aid beneficiaries who are
qualified retailers by the DTI.

The provision of assistance is in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to assist
small-scale business owners who have been directly impacted by the imposition of rice price ceilings.
“The mandated price ceilings shall remain in full force and effect unless lifted by the President upon the
recommendation of the Price Coordinating Council or the DA and the DTI”, The executive order, which
will take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette, or in a newspaper of general
circulation,stated.

Consumers may report rice retailers and sellers who will not abide by the order of the president. Citizens
may contact these agencies: DTI (889-0712); DA (02) 8927-4350); and police Regional