UMVA has learned that the Department of Agriculture’s surprise inspections across Metro Manila’s public markets uncovered a puzzling mix of compliance and quiet shortcuts.
At Commonwealth Market in Quezon City, senior officials swept through five rice stalls, accompanied by police and market administrators, to verify adherence to the newly imposed price cap.
While no formal violations were recorded, investigators discovered several vendors still tagging imported rice above the P50‑per‑kilogram ceiling, a breach explained by the sellers’ lingering stock bought at higher prices earlier in April.
Officials explained that a blaze on April 25 had stalled market activity, leaving traders unable to liquidate their costly inventory, which forced them to sell at inflated rates despite the cap.
Beyond pricing, the team flagged improper labeling practices, noting that many stalls failed to display the mandated color‑coded tags that separate cheap imported grain from domestically grown varieties.
Under the new scheme, local rice must wear stark white stickers, while imported, price‑capped rice should bear blue labels bearing its origin, a visual cue meant to guide budget‑conscious shoppers.
In response, the Department distributed clear flyers to remind dealers of the cap and the labeling rules, urging immediate compliance to protect consumers from hidden price hikes.
“From today forward, we expect vendors to honor the price ceiling and adopt the correct label colors so shoppers can instantly recognize affordable rice,” a senior official declared, underscoring the government’s commitment to transparency.
