Valenzuela LGU to shoulder 3-month stall rent of rice retailers

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 11)- The city government of Valenzuela will shoulder the three-month stall rent of rice retailers to partially compensate for losses from the Malacanang-issued price ceiling on regular and well-milled rice, Mayor Wes Gatchalian said on Monday.

Gatchalian said some 180 rice retailers from 33 public and private markets will be receive the cash aid.

"Ang target po namin by this week, ma-release na namin ang financial assistance na ibibigay ng lokal na pamahalaan. Nagpapasalamat din kami sa DSWD, kay Secretary Rex (Gatchalian), sa DTI, kay Secretary Pascual dahil dadating po sila this Wednesday para magbaba ng additional na tulong sa mga naapektuhan vendors natin," Mayor Gatchalian said.

[Translation: Our target this week is to release the financial assistance that will be given out to the local government units. We want to thank the DSWD, Secretary Rex, the DTI, and Secretary Pascual. They'll be coming here this Wednesday to give the additional funds for our affected vendors.]

The assistance is on top of the P15,000 cash grant for micro rice retailers from the national government. The price cap took effect on Sept. 5. The ceiling is ₱41 per kilogram (kg) for regular milled and ₱45/kg for well-milled rice.

READ: DSWD ramps up cash aid distribution for micro rice retailers

"Yung nalugi ko dito ,ayor, kagaya sa 45 na 'to, ang puhunan dito 47. (47 so dalawang piso). E yun transportation pa po niyan, e yung renta pa po," said Emerson Joaquin, a rice retailer in Valenzuela City.

[Translation: What I lost here, mayor, is like 45, the investment here is 47. (47 so two pesos). There is still transportation, there is still rent to consider.]

Nonetheless, Joaquin said he lowered his rice prices to follow the rules.

"Binagsak presyo ko na lang talaga kasi natatakot ako sa balita na huhulihin po e," he added.

[Translation: I lowered the prices because I'm so scared that I may get caught like those I see in the news.]

RELATED: Gov't warns of stricter rice price cap implementation in coming days

CNN Philippines correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this story.