Impose rice price ceiling, Duterte urged

Senator Cynthia Villar–INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

TACLOBAN CITY—Sen. Cynthia Villar has called on President Duterte to cap the retail prices of rice in the wake of spiraling prices.

“I think we should impose price control because rice is a political crop. Everyone eats rice. It’s very important to Filipinos,” said Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture and food.

The senator was in Ormoc City, Leyte, on Saturday afternoon to attend a farmers’ forum.

Malacañang said the President could not unilaterally impose price control on rice.

“[It] needs a declaration of calamity. [The President] can’t do that unilaterally,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a text message.

Roque said he was referring to a provision of the Price Act, or Republic Act No. 7581, and the law on the declaration of a state of calamity. —WITH A REPORT FROM CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO