STARTING this week, the San Juan city government will be releasing P5,000 for rice retailers who have stalls in the city to help augment for the losses they incur during the strict implementation of Executive Order 39, which mandates temporary price caps on regular-milled and well-milled rice to P41.00 per kilogram and P45.00 per kilogram, respectively.
Last Saturday, employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) distributed P15,000 financial aid to a total of 24 out of 48 registered small rice retailers in San Juan City.
Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual, DSWD Assistant Secretary Ada A. Colico and Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa were present to represent their respective agencies. San Juan City Mayor Francisco Javier “Francis” M. Zamora oversaw the distribution of the financial aid to the affected retailers.
Another payout will be scheduled for those who were not able to claim financial assistance.
San Juan City is one of first local government units (LGUs) in the country to have its affected rice retailers receive cash assistance from the National Government under the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
De Mesa said the price cap and the provision of aid is temporary with the coming of the harvest season.
“We are all here because we are happy that San Juan will be one of the first to receive the assistance from the national government,” Zamora said
The mayor also thanked rice dealers.
“Maraming salamat po sa pagtalima sa EO 39. Maraming salamat po dahil dito sa Agora Market, walang nag-violate sa price ceiling,” Zamora said during the event. [Thank you very much for complying with EO 39. Thank you very much because here at Agora Market, no one violated the price ceiling.]
The mayor told rice retailers that the local government unit will add an additional P5,000.
Colico said they will be distributing cash assistance to rice retailers in various areas until next week.
The DTI organized the list of beneficiaries collated from the registered retailers of the Agora Market and the Business Permit and Licensing Office of the city government.
