THE Trade Department will review existing sales and labeling regulations to include goods such as rice to address high market prices.
The move, which Trade Secretary Cristina Roque would help promote a balance between business sustainability and consumer protection, will be discussed during an upcoming National Price Coordinating Council meeting.
“We want the public to know that we are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to ease the burden on Filipino consumers,” she said on Wednesday.
The Trade Department currently only mandates certification for products such as household appliances, consumer electronics, lighting and wiring devices, steel products, plastic pipes and ceramic products, cement and other construction materials, chemical products, automotive-related products and ot`her consumer products.
The Philippine Consumer Act and Philippine National Standards specify marking and labeling requirements in the Philippines.
In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will collaborate with the Department of Agriculture to reduce rice prices and lower it to more reasonable levels.
The partnership will be formalized by a memorandum of understanding to be signed by Roque and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
“Imported rice is just the beginning,” Tiu Laurel said.
“We plan to cast the price net wider to include other imported food commodities like vegetables and meat, ultimately benefiting the Filipino consumer.”
The Trade and Agriculture departments are also working on determining a maximum suggested retail price for rice.
Agriculture Department data showed that the price of imported regular milled rice in Metro Manila ranged from P40 to P48 per kilo as of Jan. 6. Imported will-milled rice, meanwhile, ranges from P40 to P54 per kg for imported well-milled rice.
Premium and special prices for both imported and local rice ranged from P48 to P63 per kilo.
Tui Laurel said he was still looking at the declaration of a national food security emergency that would allow the government to release the National Food Authority’s rice stocks to help bring down retail prices.
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