ITINUTULAK ng isang party-list lawmaker ang pagkakaloob ng pamahalaan ng rice subsidy na 10 hanggang 50 kilos sa mahihirap hanggang middle-income house- holds sa harap ng paghina ng piso kontra dolyar na maaaring magre-sulta sa mas mataas na presyo ng mga bilihin at serbisyo.
Sa isang statement, sinabi ni Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera na tataas pa ang local fuel prices dahil mas maraming piso ang kakailanganin para umangkat ng langis.
“All the economic agencies must prepare for another surge of inflation because of the weakening of the peso. Hopefully, the weakening is only temporary like when the forex (foreign exchange) was at PHP54 to USD1.00 in September to October 2018,” sabi ni Herrera.
“Economic forecasts indicate we will have high inflation for many more months until the inflation pressures have subsided.”
Noong Biyernes, ang piso ay humina pa sa 54.985 kontra dolyar mula sa 54.7 sa naunang araw.
Bukod sa rice subsidies, sinabi ni Herrera na kailangang magkaroon ng mga karagdagang subsidiya para sa rice farmers, fisherfolk, livestock raisers, at vegetable growers, lalo na ang fuel subsidies at inputs sa production, processing, postharvest, warehousing, transport, at marketing.
“The economic managers must act fast. They should also be ready for the impact of monsoon flooding, typhoons, and other disasters. Inventories of rice and other relief goods must be adequate and prepositioned,” anang kongresista.
Sinabi pa ni Herrera na inaasahan na rin ang pagtaas sa electricity, water at telecoms rates dahil sa karagdagang foreign exchange adjustment costs.
“Most important now is to keep food and utility prices low or stable. Rice, corn, wheat, sugar, and corn supplies must be enough to meet the consumption needs of households and production needs of animal feeds makers and livestock raisers,” dagdag pa ni Herrera. PNA