THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a memorandum circular expanding the number of products covered by the price freeze as well as the suggested retail price (SRP) schemes.
“The expansion of the list forms part of our continuing efforts to ensure availability of basic commodities at reasonable prices in Metro Manila and other urban markets nationwide,” said DA Secretary William Dar.
In a virtual conference on Monday, Dar said items such as pork liempo, medium chicken eggs and cooking oil were added to the price freeze as they were considered as among the commonly bought food items by households.
Dar said with the DA Bantay Presyo Task Force beefed up by the activation of the Local Price Coordinating Councils, the DAR can actively pursue cases against those who violate the price freeze and SRP.
Under the Price Act, the government shall ensure availability of basic and prime commodities at reasonable prices at all times without denying business entities earn a fair profit.
The expanded list of basic agri-fishery commodities and their respective price per kg include cage cultured milkfish at P162; pond-cultured and fresh-chilled tilapia, P120; imported roundscad, P130; pork pigue and kasim, P190; whole chicken, P130; refined sugar, P50; brown sugar, P45; fresh red onion, P95; fresh imported garlic, P70; fresh local garlic, P120; special imported rice, P51; premium imported rice, P42; well-milled imported rice, P40; regular imported rice, P39; local special rice, P53; premium local rice,P45; well-milled local rice, P40; regular local rice, P33; regular-milled NFA rice, P27; local roundscad, P130 and pork liempo, P225;
Medium chicken eggs, P6.50 per piece; 30 ml cooking oil, P24 and; one- liter of cooking oil, P50.
Dar said P22.5 billion of the P31- billion Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra sa COVID-19 food security program is yet to be released.
“The national government has a stimulus recovery program, we are lined up there. We were provided with P85 billion for the Rice Resiliency Project and we hope the remaining P22.5 billion will have an action in the coming month,” Dar said.
However, he said the agency is “not just banking on the money coming from within national government” as there are also talks with funding institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“We have advanced talks with the World Bank and we are submitting today the details of additional activities that will be considered by the bank for the Plant, Plant, Plant program… There is open discussion with Department of Finance and World Bank and we are also discussing with ADB. We are hoping that quick decisions will be made this April because May is the action month, planting season for rice and other commodities,” Dar added.
