WHEREAS, Section 2 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7581, or the "Price Act," declares the policy of the State to (i) ensure the availability of basic necessities and prime commodities at reasonable prices at all times without denying legitimate business a fair return on investment; (ii) provide effective and sufficient protection to consumers against hoarding, profiteering and cartels with respect to the supply, distribution, marketing and pricing of said goods, especially during periods of calamity, emergency, widespread illegal price manipulation and other similar situations; (iii) develop, adopt and promulgate measures to stabilize prices at reasonable levels; and (iv) establish a mechanism that will readily protect consumers from inadequate supply and unreasonable price increase on occasions of calamities, emergencies and like occurrences;

WHEREAS, under Executive Order (EO) No. 292 or the "Administrative Code of 1987," the Department of Agriculture (DA) is mandated to promote agricultural development by providing the policy framework, public investments, and support services needed for domestic and export-oriented business enterprises and to provide integrated services to farmers, fishermen, and other food producers on production, utilization, conservation and disposition of agricultural and fishery resources:

WHEREAS, under EO No. 292, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is empowered to establish and prescribe rules, regulations and other issuances and implementing laws on the general supervision of local government units and formulate and implement policies, plans, programs and projects to meet national and local emergencies arising from natural and man-made disasters;

WHEREAS, under Section 24 of Republic Act (RA) No. 6975 or the "Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990," the Philippine National Police (PNP) shall enforce all laws and ordinances relative to the protection of lives and properties;

WHEREAS, under Section 3 of RA No. 7924, or "An Act Creating the Metro Manila Development Authority, Defining its Powers and Functions, Providing Funding therefor and for Other Purposes," the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is responsible for the provision of Metro-wide services, including transport and traffic management to promote the safe and convenient movement of persons and goods;

WHEREAS, certain administrative constraints and fees unduly add to the costs of importation of basic agricultural commodities, and contribute to price increases;

WHEREAS, there is a need to promulgate measures to stabilize the prices of basic agricultural commodities at reasonable levels, to maintain their sufficient supply in the domestic market and to provide effective and sufficient protection to consumers against hoarding, profiteering and cartels with respect to the supply, distribution, marketing and pricing of said goods;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA, Executive Secretary, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, hereby direct the DA, DILG, PNP and the MMDA to adopt measures to ensure the efficient and seamless delivery of imported agriculture and fishery products from the ports to markets around the country, including the issuance of food lane passes for truckers and suppliers carrying agricultural products.

The DA, DILG, PNP and the MMDA shall submit to the Office of the Executive Secretary, within one (1) month from effectivity of this Order, and every month thereafter, a progress report on the status of implementation of this Order.

This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 21st day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eighteen.

 

By authority of the President:       (SGD.) SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA   Executive Secretary