The rice price ceiling imposed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last September, in addition to other factors, helped ease food inflation rate in the country overall, a socioeconomic planning official said on Saturday.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon made the remarks when asked about the effect on prices by the President’s price cap on rice in a news forum in Quezon City

“Iyong rice price cap kasi natin, it was in September ‘no. So, itong mga presyo na ‘to was actually as of November at alam naman po natin na towards the end of September saka October, nagkaroon na rin ng anihan eh, iyon,” said Edillon.

“So, yes, oo… naghalo-halo na po itong mga factors na ito,” she added.

Aside from the government’s price cap on rice, the suspension of pass-through fees by local government units (LGUs) also helped lower the prices of basic goods, the NEDA official said.

Also according to Edillon, while the P20 a kilo of rice remains a goal under the present condition, she said that the President’s decision adjusting the buying price for fresh palay has benefitted many farmers.

“Tumaas, mga P23, P25 – mayroon pa ngang P25 eh. Palay po iyon ha, palay, hindi ba iyon bigas. So iyon, malaki ang naging ganasya ng mga farmers natin,” said the NEDA official.

The NEDA official also suggested measures that could lower rice prices on the part of consumers, which is demand management.

Even the agriculture secretary, she said, has been advocating for the reduction in food wastage particularly rice.

“So puwede kasing mangyari na ang sinasabi ko nga, puwedeng mangyari kasi na, okay, mataas ang presyo niya per unit or per kilo, pero iyong isang kilo mapapadami, mapapahaba mo iyong paggamit,” she said.

“Una munang tanggalin mo, iyong wastage. And then susunod, siguro iyong kung ano talaga iyong healthy na diet. Mabawasan din natin siguro iyong incidence ng diabetes sa atin,” she said. PND