IT’S just the perfect time when President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’
Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order 39 primarily aimed at
eliminating the cartels and hoarders and allowing the prices of
rice to be determined by the law of supply and demand.
For some, the EO was probably a feeble attempt to stop the
seemingly unstoppable price increase of the commodity but the
Chief Executive simply wanted the problem nipped in the bud, so
to speak.
Through this, concerned agencies must work together as they’ve
enough weapons to go after these obviously heartless hoarders
engaged in rice cartels.
With the President really meant business as what he vowed
during his State-of-the-Nation Address, these hoarders and
unscrupulous traders have their days numbered!
Even as the government allowed importation of rice
notwithstanding the harvest in the effort to stabilize the price,
authorities have noted that prices continue to rise.
Trade Assistant Secretary Agaton Uvero explained the prices of
rice are not supposed to go up because of the liberalized rice
importation as he pointed at the cartels and hoarders trying to
control the flow of the market.
Talking on our territorial claim, the President also showed his
tenacity and true to his word: “the Philippines will not lose an inch” of its territory when it comes to dealing with bullies in the West Philippine Sea.
China has become more aggressive in its maritime claims that its
actions almost went overboard when its naval assets fired water
cannons to our navy ship trying to resupply a contingent of troops
in Ayungin Shoal.
Then China released a new version of their maritime claim – from
nine-dash line to ten-dash line – claiming more of the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea.
Our government is now asking what could be next, probably an
11-dash line and so on and on.
Short of just ignoring the bully, Marcos said he wouldn’t change
the approach, meaning we will still continue defending what is
ours and won’t cede an inch of our territory.
The President said our government stays true to the rules of
international law, particularly the United Nations Conventions on
the Law of the Sea.
