QC gov't urged: Monitor price of rice

MANILA, Philippines - The government of Quezon City was urged Monday to strictly control the prices of rice due to the financial crisis facing the country.
Marvin Councilor Rillo's fourth district of the city, said the council should inspect equipment retail stores including the public markets in the interior after his office received reports that rice prices had spiked.
"Not just in my district there are complaints from the urban poor by a weight gain in the price of the NFA (National Food Authority) rice. This may not mean much to us, but it is a large bar daily budget of our brothers in the privileged sector, "Rillo said.
He said that while the price of this monitoring is primarily the task of national government, "I think that price controls should also be the concern of city government."
He appealed to retailers and wholesalers of rice to sell their products within the expected price by the government to help the poor to overcome their economic problems.
Carrillo also asked the NFA to redistribute material stores in Metro Manila, where the public can purchase commodities at reasonable prices.
In times of calamities, in addition to the rising costs of key products, the most disadvantaged sector has to compete with wealthier families to resort to panic buying, Rillo said.
Following the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, even the Filipinos are resorting to panic buying, sourcing of products such as canned foods, noodles, rice and soap, he said.
The NFA rolling stores must implement strategic areas of Quezon City and other parts of the metropolis to ensure that both the poor and the rich have the same opportunity to buy essential items at reasonable prices, the councilman said.
In addition to canned goods, noodles and rice, the material stores may also sell fresh pork, laundry soap, bath soap, toothpaste, cooking oil and other household needs at reduced prices.
Rillo said the city government has continued coordination with concerned agencies to prevent unscrupulous store owners and entrepreneurs from overpricing their products.

(Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/311738/qc-gov-t-urged-monitor-price-rice)