By Adrian H. Halili, Reporter
RICE RETAILERS said that the P15,000 in cash aid to compensate them for complying with price controls on the grain is equivalent to a few 25-kilogram sacks of rice.
Rosie B. Quinquin, a rice retailer at Mega Q Mart in Quezon City, said the subsidy is likely to run out before the temporary price controls expire.
“Baka mga ilang sako ng bigas lang ang mabibili nun, hindi nga ata tatagal ’yun sa amin (It might buy a few sacks of rice, and won’t last long), she told BusinessWorld.
Another rice seller said retailers are also dealing with higher market rents, making selling rice a losing proposition.
“Kung kukwentahin, parang kukulangin dahil sa lahat ng mga babayarin dito hindi siya makukuha sa P15,000,” Jennifer A. Tomas said.
The retailers said a 25-kilogram sack of rice costs between P2,000 and P2,500.
“I-ilang sako lang ang mabibibili nun, kasi sa P2,000 pataas mga seven na sako lang ang mabibili ko, pero mahigit pa kasi sa P2,000 ang isang sako (I can only buy seven sacks at P2,000 but less so if the price is more than P2,000), Ms. Tomas said.
Last week, the government issued Executive Order No. 39, which temporarily capped rice prices at P45 per kilo of well-milled rice and P41 for regular-milled.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) meanwhile, was ordered to disburse up to P15,000 in cash aid to small rice retailers.
Both Ms. Quinquin and Ms. Tomas said that they have yet to receive the subsidy.
Geny F. Lapina, an economist from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños, said some rice retailers may end up not receiving the subsidy.
“Given the tight fiscal space… you cannot give it to everyone, so (they) should prioritize the poorest,” Mr. Lapina said in an online briefing.
He added that the government should also aid to poorer farmers and households.
Also on Monday, the DSWD distributed the subsidy to 337 beneficiaries, which had been listed by the Departments of Trade and Industry and Agriculture. The recipients are from Pateros, Navotas, and Parañaque City.
About 15 rice retailers received the subsidy in Pateros, 161 in Navotas, 129 in Parañaque, and 32 in Zamboanga del Sur.
