There was widespread panic-buying of rice in Davao City from July 9 after its insufficient supply in the city spread on social media. Many netizens posted about the shortage of rice in major markets, particularly in Bankerohan Public Market.

Panic-buying was observed in long queues at rice markets on Monteverde St. The agriculture department’s local office admitted to a “temporary shortage” due to a delay in rice shipments.

“The ‘shortage’ reflects the intensifying economic crisis, low wages and lack of income of the Dabawenyos,” the Bagong Alyansang Mabayan-Southern Mindanao Region (Bayan-SMR) said. This is a result of the neoliberal policies that the Marcos regime continues to implement such as the Rice Importation Law. Under this law, the country became dependent on rice imports.

“The start of the ‘lean months’ worsened the rice crisis, because the cartels (deliberately) hoarded rice from local rice production to sell it at a higher price when the imported rice arrives,” the group stated.

“The panic-buying that occurred is the result of the Davao’s poor’s concern that the price of rice will increase,” the group said. This is a big added burden for families, especially now as student’s enrollment has begun. The price of rice is still way far from Marcos’ promise of ₱20/kilo.

Bayan-SMR called on the Dabawenyos to unite and assert the right to work and change the current system that serves big foreign and local capitalists, landlords and bureaucrats.

“We will strongly insist on strengthening local production through the implementation of true agrarian reform, and national industrialization to address the basic problems of hunger and suffering in our country,” it said.