Government agencies are stepping up preparations in ensuring supply and prices of food and basic and prime commodities (BNPCs) as the country transitions from El Niño to La Niña weather phenomenon.
In a statement, Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been working with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in reactivating the Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) in price monitoring initiatives in their respective areas.
Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the operationalization of the Climate Resilient Agriculture Steering Committee (CRASC) to provide strategic direction and oversee the mobilization of DA resources for climate change response.
These measures by the DTI, DA and DILG are in response to the pronouncement of Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., chair of the presidential Task Force El Niño, that the Department of National Defense (DND) will run after hoarders and manipulators who would prey on consumers during this transition period.
DTI said the DILG has reported that 1,335 or 78 percent out of 1,716 LGUs have reactivated their LPCCs.
LPCCs are mandated to coordinate and rationalize the programs to stabilize prices and supply of member agencies in the respective provinces, municipalities, and cities;
These councils can recommend to the National Price Coordinating Council or to the Implementing Agencies suggested retail prices and/or the price ceilings for certain basic necessities and/or prime commodities in their respective areas.
The LPCCs can also recommend steps to correct unwarranted price increases and supply shortages.
Pascual said automatic price control comes into effect in areas declared under a state of calamity due to La Niña and any individuals caught engaging in illegal price manipulation will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Tiu Laurel for his part said the DA will monitor the impact of the transition on the agriculture sector.
He said since he became secretary in November he has been personally monitoring the movement of prices of rice, corn and other agricultural products to protect both farmers and consumers.
The extremely hot and dry weather condition due El Niño during the past several months has affected the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, the arrival of La Niña is expected to bring heavy rainfall which can cause flooding, impacting on agricultural lands.
The CRASC will be headed by undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations Asis Perez, and co-chaired by undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro and undersecretary for Special Concerns and for Official Development Assistance-Foreign Aid/Grants Jerome Oliveros.
Teodoro during the fifth meeting of the presidential task force on El Niño response recently, said the DND is ready to provide support to agencies involved in the price monitoring of basic necessities and prime commodities.
Teodoro said there is a need to intensify price and supply monitoring efforts in markets to protect consumers from profiteering amid the weather phenomenon.
Under President Marcos’ Executive Order No. 53, select national government agencies have been directed to streamline, reactivate, and reconstitute the old El Niño task forces under EO No. 16 (s. 2001) and Memorandum Order No. 38 (s. 2019).
Signed on Jan. 19, 2024, President Marcos’ executive order directs the task force to develop a comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan for El Niño and La Niña to provide “systematic, holistic, and results-driven interventions” to help the public cope and minimize their devastating effects.
The President also designated the following officials as task force members: Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, Secretary of Agriculture Laurel, Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, and Secretary of National Economic and Development Authority Arsenio Balisacan.
