00:00 Fifty thousand?
00:01 Fifteen thousand.
00:02 Fifteen thousand?
00:03 Enrique can't believe that he's getting help from rice retailers like him.
00:14 In one day, he spends P20,000 less than his average salary.
00:21 Sometimes, it's P15,000.
00:24 Sometimes, it's just for one person.
00:27 Unlike Enrique, Mary Ann still can't keep up with the price cap for rice.
00:32 The cheapest well-knead rice is P46.00.
00:37 Two bowls of rice is P1.00, so she's saving P45.00.
00:41 She earns P50.00 per 50 kilos.
00:45 She can afford that with her land, logistics, and her daily expenses.
00:50 So, the P15,000...
00:52 My God, that's not enough for one day.
00:57 It's really not enough.
00:59 Trade Assistant Secretary Agaton Overo admitted that rice retailers are suffering.
01:05 But she says there are many rice that can be bought cheaper to meet the price ceiling.
01:11 She's also cutting the list of aid that can be distributed starting this weekend.
01:18 We know that traders are affected.
01:24 Although, our study shows that traders have a big marketing margin.
01:30 So, the conclusion of the studies is that there is profit-peering and hoarding here.
01:39 Aside from financial assistance,
01:41 the Agriculture Department is also helping with logistics and market linkages,
01:45 such as borrowing trucks for delivery directly from the farmers to the families.
01:52 For the Federation of Philippine Industries or FPI,
01:55 the price cap should not be extended for two or three weeks.
02:01 It should be if the rice impacted by the virus is weakened
02:05 so that it can be sold in the D.A.'s Kadiwa stores.
02:09 That's what I'm wondering. Why is it so long?
02:12 If this is already out, we should not be preparing for the case
02:17 if that volume is not already out in the warehouse.
02:20 The EO39 is countering this so that our middlemen,
02:26 our traders and possibly our hoarders,
02:30 can counter their illegal price manipulation.
02:35 The D.A. also insisted that the price ceiling should be implemented temporarily
02:40 until the rice price stabilizes and the harvest comes.
02:45 Rice retailers Mary Ann and Baby said,
02:49 If we can help, it's not enough.
02:53 I hope we can lower the price of the rice we can get
02:59 so that we can have that price.
03:02 It's just 15,000 pesos. If you just pay for the place, it's not enough.
03:07 I hope they can lower the price of what we earn.
03:12 Kari Gator, CNN Philippines.
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