The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Presyong Risonable Dapat (PRD) Program was launched at SM Makati on 21 December to give the public more access to cheaper rice. Consumers can now buy imported well-milled rice at Php 35 per kilo in 230 SM Supermarket, Hypermarket, and Savemore branches in the Greater Manila Area and North Luzon. SM now joins Robinsons Supermarket and Puregold in recently launching the PRD program this month. DTI’s PRD Program, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA), allows retailers to directly import rice and sell it at Php 38 per kilo and below. The program also removes traders from the equation as retailers can now source directly the rice and sell them directly in their stores, increasing access points of affordable as well as quality rice varieties. The SM group also announced that the program will be available nationwide by early next year. The launch was led by DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez(4th from L) and SM Supermarket President Joey Mendoza (3rd from L). Also present were DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo(leftmost), Assistant Director Lilian Salonga (2nd from L), NFA Director Rex Estoperez (rightmost), Savemore Market President Jojo Tagbo (2nd from R), and SM Hypermarket SVP for Operations Arnold Daluz (3rd from R). Other retailers such as Metro Gaisano and Rustans are set to launch the PRD Program soon.
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