Duterte tackles rice shortage
President expected to appeal to grains traders to avoid hoarding, unjust price hike in Palace meeting today
President Duterte is set to meet with the country’s rice traders in Malacañang today (April 5) amid concerns on the reported artificial rice shortage in the country.
The President is expected to appeal to the traders to avoid hoarding rice and imposing unjust price increases, according to Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr.
“The President will be meeting with the rice traders tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon because the President will have to take on that,” Evasco, chair of the National Food Authority (NFA) Council, said during a Palace news conference.
“It was proposed by the Department of Agriculture secretary that rice traders should be called and that the President talk to them so that we can preempt whatever plans of these traders (are) and we can ask the traders to help us rather than take advantage of a situation to make money at the expense of the consuming public,” he added.
The President’s proposed
BONGABONG, Oriental Mindoro - President Duterte on Tuesday inaugurated this province’s longest concrete bridge in a former stronghold of the New People’s Army in this town.
The 365 lineal meters Lisap Bridge, which connects two barangays in the innermost part of Bongabong has two abutments, 11 piers and 12 spans and was constructed at a total project cost of P317.760 million.
Bongabong Mayor Elgin A. Malaluan said he is very thankful to President Duterte and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar for prioritizing the completion of the bridge in the southernmost part of Oriental Mindoro.
District Engineer Efren G. Padilla of the DPWH South Mindoro District Engineering Office (SMDEO) said that prior to the construction of the bridge, people in Bongabong and nearby Roxas and Mansalay towns used to ride on a raft while crossing the vast and dangerous Bongabong river causing undue delay in economic activities.
In 2013, a one - lane, 13 - span bailey bridge was built and in 2014 it was replaced by a permanent pre-stressed concrete deck girder bridge until it was completed by its contractor RD Interior Junior Construction last February.
Villar, who introduced the President during the inauguration ceremony held at the north portion of the bridge, said the construction of Lisap Bridge, “is one of the distinguished infrastructure accomplishments parallel to the Department’s mission for a quality, safe and environment-friendly infrastructure facilities, responsive to the needs of the public, enriching national development.”
Troops from Philippine Army’s 203rd Brigade and the Philippine National Police headed by Senior Superintendent Christopher C. Birung, director of the Oriental Mindoro Police Provincial Office (PPO) assisted the Presidential Secutiry Group in securing the perimeters of the inauguration site and the landing area of the presidential chopper in Barangay Lisap, which in the past was a favorite ambush site of the local command of the NPA.
Present during the inauguration rite were Rep. Rey V. Umali of the second district of Oriental Mindoro, his brother Governor Alfonso V. Umali, Congressman Umali’s son Board Member Paulo Umali and their cousin, Socorro Mayor Ma. Fe V. Brondial, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.
The President’s cabinet members who joined him in this provincial trip were Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Sylvestre Bello III, Al G. Cusi of the Department of Energy, John R. Castriciones of Agrarian Reform, Ramon M. Lopez of Trade and Industry, Wanda Corazon T. Teo of Tourism and Guiling A. Mamondiong of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Also present were Oriental Mindoro Vice-Gov. Humerlito A. Dolor, Calapan City Mayor Arnan C. Panaligan, Rep. Salvador C. Leachon (First District, Oriental Mindoro), Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Luis Licup, regional director of Police Regional Office-MIMAROPA (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Mayors Dodgie Panganiban of Pola, Angel Saulong of Bansud, Ernilo C. Villas of Bulalacao, Violeta L. Dimapilis of Roxas, vicemayors, town councilors and barangay officials and officials of other national government agencies.