Statement of Senator Risa Hontiveros on Secretary Diokno's disclosure that administration's economic team was not consulted on price cap on rice implementation

Hindi na kagulat-gulat na nagulat si Secretary Diokno sa implementasyon ng price ceiling sa bigas.

The NFA's announcement of having less than two days of buffer stock, despite having the budget to buy more, along with actions like shutting down alleged hoarders, implementing rice price caps, and providing subsidies to retailers, all appear to have been strategically planned to generate chaos in the industry, dominate the news for an extended period, and get the public ready for more emergency measures. Dahil kung pamumukhaing may "emergency" at "rice calamity", pinapayagan ng Rice Tariffication Law ang government-to-government deal. Sana mali ang akala ko -- but such G-to-G deals in the past have been the favored options for people who were seeking to make money out of the deals.

Sa kabilang banda, nalugi na ang retailers, nawawala ang supplies sa maraming palengke at nawindang ang importers na nag-aangkat ng pampuno -- pati na para sa panahon ng El Nino.