PRESIDENT MARCOS TO DTI: ENSURE SUFFICIENT FOOD SUPPLY 

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to ensure a stable food supply through constant coordination with food manufacturers and suppliers.

“Ang directive is to constantly communicate with the manufacturers and the different industries to make sure that there will be enough supply para sa taumbayan,” DTI Secretary Maria Cristina Roque said in an interview on Friday during the President’s visit to Century Pacific’s distribution center in Laguna.

According to Roque, who accompanied the President during the inspection, they are making rounds at various grocery stores and manufacturing facilities, such as Century Pacific, to ensure a sufficient food supply for at least one to two months.

These include basic necessities and prime commodities in DTI’s controlled list.

Asked whether any hoarding cases have been reported, she said the department hasn’t monitored any yet.

“So far, wala pa, and we’ve been monitoring on a daily basis, because we have a department in DTI that handles this particular scenario. So we have 18 regional offices from region one to region 18,” said Roque.

“Nakatututok po kami dito sa groceries and supermarkets to make sure that there is no price increase for basic necessities and prime commodities.”

President Marcos said other processors and suppliers provided assurances of sufficient food stocks, noting that the government will continue to monitor food supply and prices to ensure food sufficiency amid the current challenges.

Century Pacific, which manufactures canned tuna and sardines, corned beef, and processed milk products, maintains seven state-of-the-art manufacturing hubs and operates 26 warehouses nationwide.