00:00The Agriculture Department will expand the program where you can buy 42 pesos per kilo of rice in Metro Manila.
00:09Although it's a big help, it's not a long-term solution for cheaper rice, according to some groups.
00:16Darlene Cai has the news.
00:22Before the end of the year, there will be a round of 42 pesos per kilo of rice in Metro Manila.
00:29The Department of Agriculture will expand the rice roll program where the government will directly get rice from importers and traders.
00:36At the moment, the price of well-milled rice is around 45 to 55 pesos based on the latest price monitoring of the agency.
00:44We avoided it at first so that we can't compete with those who sell to families.
00:50But because the price drop is not that fast, we are hoping that there will be a chance.
00:58The exact price and where families can buy cheaper rice is still being discussed.
01:04The DA will take action after the price of rice did not completely drop
01:09despite the execution of Executive Order No. 62 to lower the price of imported rice.
01:15We saw that the price of regular and well-milled rice dropped to 42 to 45 pesos.
01:25But there are families who are still not satisfied.
01:29But some rice retailers, like Maribeth, said that they can't do anything if the price of rice dropped in their supply.
01:36If the price is too low, we can't do anything.
01:39Where will we get our income from?
01:42Can they give us our income back?
01:46For Sinag and Grupong Bantay Bigas,
01:48the solution to lower the price of rice, the rice roll program, and lowering the price of rice is not yet a long-term solution.
01:56We will see that people will queue up for 42 pesos and the market will run out of 42 pesos.
02:03In the end of the day, the benefit is not that big.
02:08The production cost should be the one to be targeted.
02:13Our call is to strengthen our local production through subsidies to our farmers.
02:19NEDA also said that they agreed to submit a recommendation to the President regarding the rice roll program.
02:25The goal is to reduce that further.
02:29Prices are not completely in our control.
02:32We can only intervene in the short term,
02:37but over the long haul, it is best for the country to follow the trends in the market.
02:43The DA will continue to consult with rice retailers, traders, and importers regarding the rice roll program.
02:50For GMA Integrated News, Darlene Cai, Nakatotok, 24 Horas.
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