|
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Long queues for cheap rice almost resulted in riot
By Annabelle L. Ricalde
CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Four elderly women fainted from exhaustion in Cogon market Wednesday as hundreds of consumers jostled, pushed, and shoved their way to buy government-subsidized rice from the National Food Authority (NFA), police said.
Police officer Allan Galito of Police Station 2 said the women fainted as they waited for the two Bigasan ni Gloria - the NFA authorized outlets - to open around noon Wednesday.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Galito estimated there were about 1,500 to 2,000 people who have been waiting for NFA stores to open since early Wednesday morning.
He said many of the people come as early as 6 a.m. every day to get ahead of the others at the Atruim in Cogon market.
"Nakauna ko og ally pero gipabalhin man mao nga nakapaingon na nuon ko sa tunga (I was among the first to line up but I was made to transfer to the middle)," Emarlita Abraganhan, one of those who fainted, wept.
Abraganhan, 61 years old, a buko vendor and resident of Barangay Canitoan, said she was not feeling well when she queued up to buy rice around 5 a.m.
"Nagblack out na dayon ako panan-aw og nawad-an ko og panimout (Everything went black and I fainted)," she narrated.
Abraganhan fainted on the rice lines but her fall was cushioned by hundreds of people who were standing. She was immediately pulled out by personnel of the United Market Vendors Association (Umva).
She was the first of four elderly women to faint Wednesday.
A few minutes later, Macaria Naga, a resident of Kolambog Barangay Lapasan, also collapsed.
"Mapugos gyud ko og linya kay pulos mi walay trabaho sa akong bana (I am forced to line here because I and my husband have no stable income)," Naga said after she regained consciousness.
The big crowd of consumers was visibly upset after two more elderly women fainted after Naga and Abraganhan.
Some shouted invectives at the grains retailers as NFA employees stood in the sidelines.
"When will you start selling rice? Don't let us suffer anymore. Many have already fainted," some of the consumers cried.
It did not help when an NFA employee shouted to the crowd to wait a little longer because the workers of the grain retailers were still eating their lunch.
Angered, the crowd shouted again. "They are eating lunch while we are starving to death."
Fearing a riot on their hands, Umva officials and employees of the City Economic Enterprise Department interceded and begged the retailers to start selling.
"Alarming na kaayo ni unya walay gihapon nangita og paagi ang taga NFA nga masulbad nia,luoy na kaayo ang mga tawo (This is already alarming. The NFA still have not come up with a solution. We pity these people)," a Ceed employee told Sun.Star as he pacified the crowd who got unruly.
At noon, the retailers started selling rice and averted what could have become a riot.
The NFA has increased the allocation in Cogon market from 75 sacks a day to 200 on Wednesday, a week after Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap instructed them to increase the distribution and open more grain outlets.
That same day, Wednesday, local government units (LGUs) were urged to activate their Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) to stabilize rice prices.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno called on local chief executives nationwide to organize or activate their LPCCs to help check against possible unwarranted price increases of rice and other basic commodities in the face of volatile petroleum and food prices in the world market.
"All local chief executives are strongly encouraged to activate their LPCCs or to organize the said councils where there are none, for consumer protection purposes and for a more purposive and sustained monitoring of selected prime commodities," Puno said in a memorandum circular issued to all provincial governors and city and municipal mayors.
The provincial governors, during a meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last Tuesday, agreed to help the National Government subsidize the palay (unhusked rice) buying price in their provinces to prevent hoarding by rice traders and to boost the stocks of the NFA.
Senator Rodolfo Biazon meantime called for the suspension in the implementation of the Bio-Fuels Act passed last year by Congress in view of the current rice crisis, saying it should be deferred until after the government has crafted a plan to ensure food sufficiency especially in rice production.
Arroyo as well has ordered the exemption of workers' rice allowances from taxes.
She said during the Tripartite Labor Conference in Malacañang Tuesday afternoon that non-wage benefits like rice allowances should be "exempted from taxes altogether." (ALR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (April 17, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
