Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Arroyo wants rice hoarding, profiteering declared as economic sabotage
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday asked Congress to pass a couple of bill declaring rice hoarding and profiteering as economic sabotage, especially during disasters and calamities, and a law imposing a price ceiling for rice during state of calamities.
Arroyo made the call along with several directives for government officials in Manila during a videoconference in Fresno in California that was held in the presence of the Filipino community in the area.
The President opted to hold the video conference in the presence of the US-based Filipino groups to be able to update them on the developments in the country following the onslaught of typhoon Frank that resulted in severe flooding, brownouts and capsizing of the MV Princess of the Star and at the same time asked for their support and assistance to the victims.
"I hope that you will help your brothers in the Philippines again," she told Filipinos in the US.
She said among the immediate actions that should be taken is the passage of a bill making "rice hoarding and profiteering as economic sabotage with disaster as aggravating circumstance" and a second bill that says "the state of calamity should include imposing a maximum price of rice, giving decent return for farmers and traders but no more, plus wholesale of hoarded rice."
She also directed the Philippine embassies in the US, Europe and the Middle East to open disaster relief donation accounts in addition to a National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) account website and/or text number to receive donations and assistance for the victims; and for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) to help ensure that NDCC site would be able to work amid high traffic.
Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Anthony Golez said the President also ordered the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to supply potable water in the areas affected by the typhoon.
Arroyo, during the videoconference, received a consolidated report on the damages wrought by the typhoon along with the assistance, relief and rescue operations being implemented.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pag-asa) director Frisco Nilo reported that they expect the weather to clear up in the Visayas and Mindanao area by Tuesday, enabling a full blast relief and rescue operations in the region and in Luzon by Wednesday.
Nilo also reported that due to the typhoon, there was heavy flooding in Lubao, Guagua and Masantol in Pampanga, and in 10 municipalities of Bulacan with Meycauyan, Hagonoy, Marilao and Obando being the hardest hit.
Former Iloilo congressman now Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. said the first flight out of Iloilo was made 9 p.m. last Sunday, but the situation in the province remains critical.
Gonzalez said their main problem, aside from food, is the lack of evacuation centers because most schools are flooded. He said they have been able to persuade the malls in the areas to allow the upper floors of their establishment to be used as evacuation centers among with the churches.
National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Rex Estoperez said although 160,000 bags of rice in Iloilo are soaked with floodwaters, there are still enough rice supply for Iloilo and the rest of the country.
"We have sufficient stock all over the country and right now we have 18 million tons all over the country, which would last for 28 to 32 days," said Estoperez.
About 1.1 million metric tons (MTs) of rice, even if some of the supply would be released to the relief agencies.
Estoperez said aside from ensuring the rice supply, the NFA should be on alert against unscrupulous traders and government officials that would take advantage of the situation that may lead to either a decrease in supply of the P18.25 per kilo NFA rice or the reselling of the packed rice to a higher price.
He said they are closely monitoring the situation.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) also said that total damage in agriculture is about P550 million, with 10,000 MTs of high value crops affected and 17,000 MTs of rice crops affected.
Higher Education Commissioner Nona Ricafort said due to the heavy rains, the farm and crops program of some state universities and colleges (SUCs) had been affected resulting in a need for a one-week suspension of classes in the affected institutions.
Ricafort said aside from waiting for the flood to recede in the affected SUCs, they need one week to clean and rehabilitate.
She said aside from resuming classes on June 30 in the affected schools, enrollment in these institutions had also been extended until the end of the month. (JMR/Sunnex)
