Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra leads a surprise market visit to check on the “President” rice being sold at PHP62 per kilogram as well as other agricultural commodities at the New Marulas public market in Valenzuela on Friday (March 21, 2025). The said price is PHP13 above the PHP49 maximum suggested retail price set for 5 percent broken imported rice. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Agriculture)
The Department of Agriculture (DA) praised the Valenzuela City government on Friday for taking swift action to stop the sale of a suspiciously priced rice brand labeled “President,” which was being sold at P62 per kilogram.
This follows a surprise inspection by the DA at the New Marulas Public Market to check compliance with the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for 5 percent broken imported rice and pork.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed his gratitude to Valenzuela Mayor Weslie Gatchalian, who ordered the suspension of “President” rice sales. The rice was labeled as local but is suspected to be imported and overpriced.
“We thank the Valenzuela LGU and Mayor Gatchalian for their prompt response in protecting consumers. We need more actions like this to stop exploitative traders, especially with many families struggling to manage their daily expenses,” Laurel said.
DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, who led the market inspection, noted that the “President” rice was absent from most stalls, confirming that the LGU had already met with vendors and instructed them to halt sales while an investigation is ongoing.
The P62/kg price tag is P13 above the P49/kg MSRP for 5 percent broken imported rice. The DA has also announced plans to lower the MSRP further to P45/kg by the end of March.
Pork prices still above MSRP
Guevarra also reported that pork prices in the market remain high. Liempo was priced at P420 per kilo, while kasim and pigue ranged from P370 to P380. Sabit-ulo was being sold at P305 per kilo, despite the farmgate price being only P230.
The DA previously set the pork MSRPs in consultation with stakeholders in the pork industry—producers, transporters, and retailers. The current MSRPs are:
- P380/kg for pork liempo
- P350/kg for kasim and pigue
- P300/kg for sabit-ulo
Aside from rice and pork, the DA team also monitored prices of other goods like chicken and vegetables.
The department emphasized its commitment to conducting more surprise inspections across public markets, in collaboration with law enforcement, to ensure fair pricing and protect consumers.
