Mayor John Dalipe Tuesday expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. for the issuance of Executive Order 39 that imposes a rice price ceiling to protect consumers from the alarming increase in rice prices.

The mayor personally relayed his gratitude to the president during the latter’s visit to Zamboanga City Tuesday, September 19, to spearhead the turnover of P42M worth of forfeited smuggled sacks of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and eventually to the 3,000 members of 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) at the NFA warehouse in San Roque.

In his welcome message during the program prior to rice distribution, the mayor likewise declared his all-out support to the president’s campaign against smuggling and rice hoarding, saying that the city government is also undertaking initiatives to check on this malpractice.

“We are one with you in the campaign against smuggling and hoarding of rice and we thank you for the issuance of EO 39,” the mayor told President Marcos.

A week ago, Dalipe himself led the monitoring of rice prices in public markets to ensure that retailers comply with the rice price cap.

He vowed to continue monitoring the prices of rice in the local markets even as he pledged to exert efforts at granting assistance to rice retailers affected by the implementation of Executive Order No. 39, imposing the mandated price ceilings on rice. (Sheila Covarrubias)