As the prices of basic goods are increasing the government of Philippines has focused its efforts on bread, sardines and fuel prices. The government has directed agencies to undertake steps to ensure that prices of sardines and bread are well within the reach of poor households. Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza informed that sardines fish are purchased by masses so the government trying all its efforts to minimize the prices of sardines.
According to Dureza the Cabinet has agreed to implement certain measures to control huge price rise. He added that the Cabinet is conducting dialogues with commercial fishing groups to ensure adequate supply of sardines and prevent price increases; procuring flour in high quantity to ensure smooth flow of bread; and for the Energy department to conduct “intensive” auditing of oil firms to determine if the prices they are imposing to consumers are reasonable.
The President had directed Energy Sec. Angelo T. Reyes to meet with commercial fishing groups to address their concerns over rising fuel prices. The fishing group had tried to raise sardines prices to P25 per kilogram (kg.) from less than P22/kg., but canneries in Zamboanga, which supply at least 80 percent of the country’s canned sardines and get 90 percent of their raw material from those fishers, said they could afford only as much as P23/kg. The government also plans to use “excess revenues” from the VAT on oil to fund various subsidies and social services.
