Rice retailers from the Agora Public Market in San Juan City on Saturday received P15,000 in financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The financial aid is given to small retailers affected by the rice price cap.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, who oversaw the distribution, said the city government will also be releasing P5,000 for the rice retailers by next week. They will also be given a one-month free rental for those located inside Agora Market.

A total of 24 out of 48 registered small rice retailers from San Juan City attended and received a one-time aid of P15,000 from the national government to help augment the losses they incurred during the strict implementation of Executive Order 39, which started last Tuesday, 5 September.

Another payout will be scheduled for those who were not able to claim financial assistance.

San Juan City was one of the first local government units to have its affected rice retailers receive cash assistance from the national government under the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program.

EO 39 mandates temporary price caps on regular-milled and well-milled rice to P41 per kilogram and P45 per kilogram, respectively.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa assured the public that the harvest season is coming and this situation is temporary.

Zamora thanked the national government because San Juan had been chosen as one of the first to receive the said assistance.

The San Juan mayor also thanked rice dealers in the city because no one has violated the price ceiling.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Asa Colico said that they will be distributing the cash assistance to rice retailers in various areas until next week.

The DTI organized the list of beneficiaries collated from the registered retailers of the Agora Market and the Business Permit and Licensing Office of the city government.