BALANGA CITY – A team headed by the National Food Authority on Tuesday inspected rice retail outlets at the Balanga City Public Market in Bataan to check their compliance with suggested retail price (SRP) for milled rice and prescribed labeling of rice boxes and price tags.
Members of the team are representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, local government units, and the Philippine National Police.
Adelaida Nuestro, NFA provincial manager, said they started the inspection in Balanga City and soon in other retail outlets in the towns of Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles, Bagac and Morong.
She said this was pursuant to a memorandum issued by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, chairman of NFA council, on October 24, 2018.
“Kung may violation, may nakatakdang kaparusahan pero dahil bago pa lang, susulatan muna bilang reminder to comply,” the manager said.
She said that they are doing the inspection for the good of consumers. “Dapat malaman nila at maging malinaw kung ano talaga ang selling price ng bigas,” Nuestro said.
Gloria Abraham, a 64-year-old buyer, said she does not mind the new labeling. “OK lang, kilala ko naman ang bigas. Malambot ang hinahanap ko,” she said.
She narrated that she had a bad experience in the former labeling of rice. “Nakabili ako, ang sabi dinorado pero pagdating ng bahay, walang amoy (hindi mabango), matigas,” Abraham said.
She said she will still try the rice she bought under the new label. “Susubukan ko pa rin.”
Milled rice is now classified into regular milled rice, well milled rice, premium grade and special rice. Special rice is exempted from SRP.
Prices of rice at the Balanga City public market range from P37 to P75 per kilo. NFA rice still sold at P27 a kilo.
