Council seeking to harmonize LGU rules on goods movement permits
THE National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) said it will establish a technical working group (TWG) to review and harmonize local government unit (LGU) regulations on the movement of agricultural goods.
In a statement, NPCC Chair and Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said Justice Undersecretary Geronimo L. Sy will take the lead in establishing the TWG.
Mr. Sy said that the Department of Justine “has the enforcement capability to correct the policies and procedures being implemented by the LGUs, in accordance with existing laws.”
The TWG will include representatives of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Producers such as the United Broilers Raisers Association, Inc. (UBRA) and the Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc. (PCFMI) have raised concerns about the movement of raw materials within agricultural zones.
According to UBRA and PCFMI, LGUs are imposing permit requirements on the movement of such goods, with local governments citing the need to contain African Swine Fever.
Mr. Pascual said that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will also work with the DILG on the proper implementation of Executive Order No. 41, which suspended the collection of pass-through fees by LGUs.
Chaired by Mr. Pascual, the NPCC convened on Wednesday to address the concerns of manufacturers, which could affect the availability of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs).
The council proposed monitoring by the DA, DTI, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
The DTI said that the council agreed that integrating price monitoring data in a digital system is vital to the stabilization of BNPC prices.
“With accurate, real-time data, the agencies and consumers will be equipped to make smarter and more informed decisions,” it added.
The NPCC meeting was also attended by the Sugar Regulatory Administration, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, the National Food Authority, Philippine Competition Commission, and the National Economic and Development Authority. — Justine Irish D. Tabile