City of San Fernando, Pampanga — Elected officers of the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council took their oath of office last 25 August at the Diosdado Macapagal Government Center, Barangay Maimpis here.

According to the Department of Agriculture Central Luzon, Regional Executive Director Crispulo Bautista Jr., Regional Technical Director Dr. Arthur Dayrit, and Chief of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division Noli Sambo graced the oath-taking ceremony.

Bautista has urged the new RAFC officers to focus on the problems and find solutions in the farming and fishing sector as part of their thrust.

Bautista and RAFC chairperson Onesimo Romano presided the oath-taking ceremony of new RAFC officers as PAFC and HUCAFC Chairpersons, PAFC and HUCAFC Coordinators, along with Sectoral Chairpersons from various localities in Central Luzon witnessed the event.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the recommendation to impose mandated price ceilings on rice in the whole country.

The President cited that it will ensure reasonably priced and conveniently accessible staple food to Filipinos amid the alarming increase in its retail prices in the market.

To recall, Executive Order 39 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on 31 August stated that Marcos approved the joint recommendation of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade of Industry to set price ceilings on rice in the country.

It was also issued following the sectoral meeting on 29 August where the President was briefed about the status of government initiatives to ensure sufficient rice supply in the country.