There is still a chance that the P20 per kilo of rice could be realized, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday, pointing out that once the agriculture sector and the cost of production in the country would become stable and normalize, the goal would be reached.
“May chance lagi ‘yan,” President Marcos said when asked by the media if the P20.00 per kilogram of rice is still feasible. “(K)ung maayos natin ang production natin at maging maayos, hindi na tayo masyadong bagyuhin at ‘yung mga tulong na ibinibigay natin sa mga farmer ay magamit na nila.”
The President explained there are factors happening outside the Philippines that are directly affecting the prices of basic commodities in the country, prompting the government and the market to adjust.
Marcos emphasized that it would be easy for the government to make the necessary adjustments once everything normalizes.
“Ngunit, kapag talaga nagawa natin ang cost of production binaba natin ay bababa rin ang presyo ng bigas. Bababa rin lahat. Basta’t mas mataas ang ani kahit na pwede nating ipagpantay ang presyo,” the President said.
The chief executive stressed the government is exhausting all remedies to ensure that prices of staple food in the market are still affordable to the Filipino people, especially to those who find it difficult to make ends meet.
President Marcos added there are enough measures to ensure a reasonable buying price for farmers, adding that the National Food Authority Council has set on Monday a new price range for palay buying.
The NFA Council, chaired by Marcos, approved last Monday the buying price range for “wet palay” from P16.00 to P19.000 while the price range for “dry palay” was pegged at P19.00 from the P23.00.
“So, pagka naging mas normal na ang sitwasyon, malaking pag-asa talaga natin na ibababa natin ang presyo ng bigas,” Marcos assured.
The chief executive led on Tuesday the distribution of seized smuggled rice in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga City as he also turned over other agricultural assistance to the residents and the local government units in the two provinces. PND
