Thursday, April 10, 2008
CBCP to traders: Don’t raise prices of commodities
THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Thursday asked traders not to increase the prices of their commodities as these will further add to the burden of the poor.
CBCP president and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo issued the appeal to businessmen in view of the rice crisis which affects the prices of other goods.
"The rice crisis is already affecting other basic supplies. In this regard, business people should be kind enough not to burden the people, especially the poor, with the soaring prices of their products," he said.
Instead of jacking up the prices of their products, Lagdameo said the government and business community should work together to ease the people’s anxiety over the increase in prices.
Not only the prices of rice were surging up but even the prices of basic goods such as pandesal (salt bread), flour, cooking oil, meat and noodles.
It was also reported that the government is also looking into the possibility of increasing the prices of the rice being distributed and sold by the National Food Authority (NFA) which is now at P18.25 per kilo.
On the other hand, Lagdameo described as a good arrangement the partnership between the government and the church in addressing the rice crisis.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has tapped the Catholic Church to help them distribute rice to the poor.
“This is a good arrangement between the DA and the church, but it should not be a permanent partnership,”” Lagdameo said.
At the same time, the prelate urged the people to pray for the solution of the rice crisis.
“The country needs to pray hard to solve the rice problem,” he said. (Sunnex) |
