00:00The Department of Agriculture also promised to give provinces a maximum suggested retail price for premium and imported rice.
00:08Isaiah Mirafuentes is in the center of the news.
00:13Meya's family needs to buy 50 kilos of rice every month.
00:17They are four in their family who share their food.
00:21And here in Tandangsora Market, she is buying rice.
00:25Actually, the price of rice now is a bit lower compared to last year.
00:30It's really high.
00:32If your salary is minimum wage like last year, you really won't be able to afford it.
00:38Now, it's a bit lower no matter what.
00:40Today is the third day of implementing the maximum suggested retail price for premium imported rice.
00:46Since Monday, the Department of Agriculture implemented the 58 pesos maximum suggested retail price for rice.
00:53It means that 58 pesos should be the most expensive imported rice sold in the market.
00:59It's a bit lower.
01:02Our imported rice is 3 pesos lower.
01:06Before, it was 58 pesos. Now, it's 55 pesos.
01:09This MSRP is currently being implemented in the entire Metro Manila.
01:13But the DA promised that it will be implemented in the provinces.
01:19The DA said that they won't be too strict in implementing the maximum suggested retail price.
01:25But they will always monitor the prices of rice in the markets in Metro Manila.
01:30To be clear, this is only a suggested retail price and not a price ceiling for rice.
01:36The DA also assures that the supermarkets are following the prices of imported rice.
01:42It's really expensive, boss.
01:45How expensive?
01:46It's expensive. Rice is expensive now. I thought it would be lower.
01:49So, what we earn every day, if you include rice and vegetables, it's really not enough.
01:57It's just a little. It needs to be lowered a bit so that our lives in the Philippines will be better.
02:05Specialty rice varieties like malagkit, Japanese rice, and black rice are not included in the policy.
02:13MSRP also includes 10 pesos per kilo nominal profit margin in the landed cost of imported rice.
02:21Aside from this, President Quillos continues to support some families in Metro Manila
02:27who are selling imported and local rice.
02:31Isaiah Mirafuentes for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
