Report: Rice at P60/kg, fuel stock runs low in Baguio City

Rice sold for up to P60 per kilo while gasoline stations and stores ran low on supplies as Baguio City has remained virtually cut off in the wake of typhoon “Pepeng" (Parma). Baguio City-based Richard Buenaventura said in a radio interview Sunday that while stores in the central business district remained open, their supplies are ebbing away fast. “May mga report na nakarating sa DTI kanina na may nagbebenta na ng P60 per kilo ng bigas. Ang pahayag ng DTI ukol dito ay, huwag mag-panic buying kasi marami naman ang supply (There are reports reaching the local Trade Department office that rice is being sold at P60/kilo. The local Trade Department appealed to residents not to engage in panic buying because there are enough supplies)," Buenaventura said in an interview on dzBB radio. Baguio City was among the areas in Northern Luzon that was cut off from other parts of the country, after “Pepeng" forced the closure of three major roads leading to it.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV According to Buenaventura, many gas stations ran low on fuel supplies, while few vehicles were seen along the normally busy Session Road in the city’s central business district. “Kaya ipinapanawagan ng mga awtoridad dito na kailangan pabilisan ang pagbubukas ng mga kalsada para 'di naman talagang mawalan ng supply ang gas stations (Authorities here are calling on the Department of Public Works and Highways to reopen the roads soonest so gas stations can replenish their supplies)," he added. On the other hand, he said there was no panic buying, partly because people could not get enough money from automated teller machines (ATMs). But he said panic buying may become a reality if the roads remain closed and new supplies do not reach the city. “Di masasabing may panic buying, ang pera sa bangko di ma-withdraw nang ganoon kadali at walang pambili ang tao (You cannot say there was panic buying because people had trouble withdrawing from banks)," he said. Buenaventura also narrated the city’s Session Road had very few vehicles as of Sunday morning, with many people simply walking. He said this was in major contrast to past weekends when Session Road was filled with vehicles. “Dahil sa kakulangan ng supply siguro ang iba nagtipid na lang, 'di na gumamit ng sasakyan kaya lumuwag ang lansangan (Perhaps because of the lack of fuel and other goods, people chose to save money and just walk)," he said. Arroyo orders road cleanup While in Baguio City Sunday for a meeting with officials of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC), President Gloria Arroyo ordered the local government to look for relocation places for residents displaced by landslides and flooding in Benguet, according to a report on dzBB radio. The report also said that Mrs. Arroyo earlier ordered the local Public works officials to speed up clean up operations on roads leading to Baguio City soonest. Earlier, Buenaventura narrated President Arroyo and Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. distributed relief goods at The Mansion, the presidential residence in the city. Several families forced to evacuate their homes due to the floods received the goods. Clearing operations In a television interview Sunday morning, Mayor Bautista said that major access roads to the city are being cleaned up by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) now that the weather has started to clear. Baguio has been isolated since October 9 when its three main thoroughfares, Kennon Road, Naguilian Road and Marcos Highway, were impassable due to landslides. [See story: North Luzon cut off from Manila; thousands need rescue] Since then, relief operations have been conducted using air transportation. - with a report from Melissa de los Santos, GMANews.TV