Duterte to issue EO to solve inflation

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is set to issue an executive order aimed at resolving the “raging contentious relations” between the National Food Authority and the NFA Council to help arrest runaway inflation, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said yesterday.

“It is a strong first step because there are liberalization measures already, like who can import rice. With the order, Duterte is telling the NFA and the NFA Council that this is what I have to do to slow inflation,” Salceda, an economist, said in a television interview. Inflation rate hit a record nine-year high of 6.4 percent in August.

President Duterte, in a televised interview with his chief legal adviser Salvador Panelo on Tuesday, vowed to recommend to Congress the abolition of the NFA Council, saying “it has no purpose.”

In the same interview, he also announced that NFA administrator Jason Aquino had “requested” that he be relieved from his post because of disagreements with fellow officials. 

Every rice importation by the NFA needs clearance from the NFA Council headed by Leoncio Evasco.

Salceda said the EO, if and when fully implemented, can ease inflation to 6.1 percent in September. Prices of goods have gone up steadily in the past weeks, with rice now costing as much as P55 per kilo in the market.

Last Tuesday, the President said Aquino was tired and could not cope with the internal dynamics in government.

Duterte made the statement as the state grains agency is being assailed for its supposed failure to address the higher prices of rice in some parts of the country.  –  With Alexis Romero