Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra and officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA), along with Food Terminal Inc., conducted a surprise inspection at New Marulas Public Market in Valenzuela City early Friday. The visit focused on monitoring compliance with the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for imported rice and local pork.
The inspection followed a report from Mayor Wes Gatchalian that a rice brand labeled “President”, claimed to be local but suspected to be imported, was being sold for ₱62 per kilo, exceeding the ₱49 MSRP for imported rice.
During the visit, Asec. Guevarra confirmed that most stalls had suspended selling the President rice, following instructions from the Valenzuela LGU, which is currently investigating the product. Samples from other brands like Bachelor, Kokuyo, and Shining Star were collected for testing, while the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) already secured samples of the President rice earlier.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel commended Mayor Gatchalian and the LGU for their swift action, saying,
“We need more proactive measures like this to prevent unscrupulous traders from exploiting Filipino consumers.”
Aside from rice, pork was also being sold above the agreed MSRPs:
Liempo: ₱420 (MSRP: ₱380)
Kasim/Pigue: ₱370–₱380 (MSRP: ₱350)
Sabit Ulo: ₱305 (MSRP: ₱300)
This is despite the farm gate price for pork remaining at ₱230 per kilo, based on previous consultations with pork industry players.
Asec. Guevarra also urged vendors to display price tags clearly to help consumers make informed choices and noted slight increases in chicken and vegetable prices, with some vegetables from Balintawak rising by up to 30%.
She recommended more surprise inspections at varying times to ensure price compliance and thanked the police for their support during the operation.
“A salute to our law enforcement officers!” she said.