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INFLATION RISES TO 5.3% ON HIGHER RICE, FOOD, BEVERAGE PRICES—PSA By Julito G. Rada and Maricel V. Cruz nificantly slower than the 6.3 percent a THE rate of inflation rose to a twomonth high of 5.3 percent in August after dropping for the last six months, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday, blaming higher prices of food -- particularly rice -- and non-alcoholic beverages for the increase. National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Dennis Mapa said in an online briefing that this was still sig-
year ago, and brought average inflation in the first eight months to 6.6 percent, which is well over the government’s target range of 2 to 4 percent. Mapa said food and non-alcoholic beverages, a large component in the inflation index, rose to 8.1 percent during August, up from 6.3 percent in the previous month. Increases in transport; recreation; housing, water, electricity, gas, and Next page
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 203 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Small rice retailers to get P15k PBBM tells DSWD to use P5.5b-fund to mitigate vendors’ losses By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta
MALL rice retailers may receive a one-time financial aid of up to P15,000 to mitigate their losses from buying more expensive stocks as Executive Order 39, which sets a price ceiling on regular and wellmilled rice, took effect Tuesday.
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PRICE CEILING SET. A store retailer displays regular milled rice sold at P41 per kilo and P45 a kilo for wellmilled rice alongside premium rice varieties at her stall in Quezon City on Tuesday, as the new price caps for the staple grain went into effect. Norman Cruz
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it is ready to provide this cash assistance to qualified recipients once the list is built with the help of the Department of Trade and Industry. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a radio interview that he was directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday to use the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program to help small rice retailers who incur losses because of the temporary price cap. To date, the DTI and the DA are compiling a list of the affected rice traders and retailers who will receive the government’s assistance.
Gatchalian said the SLP currently has a P5.5billion budget that can be immediately used to help cushion the impact of the price cap on rice, particularly among small retailers who bought rice from traders at a price higher than the price ceiling. He said the DSWD is just waiting for the list of qualified small rice retailers which will be provided by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture. “We hope that by next week, we can already start the payout under the sustainable livelihood grant for our affected rice retailers,” Gatchalian said in a mix
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Marcos: ASEAN poised to grow on mutual trade By Charles Dantes JAKARTA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday hailed the economic growth of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, citing the steady rise of intra-ASEAN trade and foreign direct investment inflows. “With a projected growth rate of 4.9 percent next year and a steady rise in intra-ASEAN trade and foreign direct investment inflows, ASEAN is poised to improve its macroeconomic fundamentals in the face of a prolonged geopolitical and socio-economic challenge that impacts our region and the world,” Next page
Speaker: Summit opportune venue for PH investment By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on Tuesday said the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia presents an opportune venue for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to boost trade and investment between the Philippines and ASEAN member countries. “The ASEAN summit provides an excellent venue for President Marcos to Next page
ASEAN PRESENCE. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (left) joins hands with the other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for their traditional pose at the start of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. PCO Photo
DepEd: Intel agency vetted list of schools targeted by NPA recruiters THE list of 16 public high schools in Coordinating Agency, the Department schools, citing “the sensitive nature of the moment as to when these activities Metro Manila allegedly targeted by of Education said Tuesday. the issue” but claimed all their informa- started. As mentioned, this is an onNew People’s Army recruitment has DepEd spokesman Undersecretary tion had been cleared with NICA. going operation and we are getting as been vetted by the National Intelligence Michael Poa still refused to identify the “We have no specific information at Next page
Speaker Martin Romualdez (second from right) flanks President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (seated) as he stands beside (from left) Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, and Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on Tuesday. PCO Photo
Manila court orders Teves, others arrested for Negros governor slay
P1.42 trillion eyed for infrastructure
By Rey E. Requejo
‘China must pay for sea incursions’
A MANILA City regional trial court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr. and his co-accused in connection with the March 4, 2023 killings of Gov. Roel R. Degamo and several other persons in Pamplona town. Judge Merianthe Pacita M. Zuraek of RTC Branch 51 issued the arrest order on the murder, frustrated Next page
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WEATHER ‘Ineng’ steady, more rain seen Arnolfo Teves Jr.
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