The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remains steadfast in its commitment to enhance food security in the country, focusing on making rice more affordable and accessible for all Filipinos.

“Our thrust is to continue improving food security ano. And ‘yan maraming — tatlong dimension ‘yan. The access — access to food and the affordability of food and the availability ano of food in broad terms,”National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a Malacañang press briefing on Thursday.

Balisacan said the retail price of rice is currently around PhP50.00 per kilogram amid ongoing efforts to bring it down further.

He said the government is closely monitoring market trends to achieve this goal.

“We are focused on reducing [the price of rice],” Balisacan said.

Balisacan however said rice prices are influenced by external factors such as global market trends and natural disasters which are all beyond the government’s control. | PND