EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 118 IMPOSITION OF A MANDATED PRICE CEILING ON IMPORTED RICE May 13, 2026

WHEREAS, Section 7 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7581 or thePrice Act,as amended, provides that the President, upon the recommendation of the Implementing Agency or the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC), may impose a price ceiling on any basic necessity or prime commodity in any of the following conditions: (i) threat, existence, or effect of an emergency; (ii) prevalence or widespread acts of illegal price manipulation; (iii) impendency, existence, or effect of any event that causes artificial and unreasonable increase in the price of the basic necessity or prime commodity; and (iv) whenever the prevailing price of any basic necessity or prime commodity has risen to unreasonable levels;

WHEREAS,RA No. 12022, otherwise known as theAnti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act of 2024,declares unlawful acts such as hoarding, profiteering, cartelization, and other forms of market manipulation involving agricultural commodities, and mandates the State of protect consumers and farmers from abusive and anti-competitive practices that distort market prices;

WHEREAS,the NPCC recommended the immediate issuance of an Executive Order (EO) imposing a temporary price ceiling on imported rice (5% broken) at fifty pesos per kilogram (P50.00/kg) for a period of thirty (30) days, in order to address unjustified price increases, prevent market abuse, and ensure the availability of affordable rice whole maintaining market stability;

WHEREAS,EO No. 110 (s. 2026) declares a state of national energy emergency in view of the ongoing Middle East Conflict, and directs a whole-of-government approach to safeguard economic stability and mitigate price increases in essential goods;

WHEREAS,in light of the foregoing, there is a need for urgent measures to protect consumers by curbing profiteering and other abusive market practices, and to ensure the adequate supply, reasonable pricing, and accessibility of rice for all Filipinos; and

WHEREAS,Section 17, Article VII of the Constitution vests in the President the power of control of all Executive departments, bureaus, and offices, and the mandate to ensure the faithful execution of laws;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR.,President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby order:

Section 1. Mandated Price Ceiling on Imported Rice.A mandated price ceiling of fifty pesos per kilogram (P50.00/kg) on imported rice (5% broken) shall be implemented for thirty (30) days nationwide, unless earlier lifted by the President upon recommendation of the NPCC.

Section 2. Periodic Review.The NPCC shall conduct a periodic review of the implementation of the price ceiling every fifteen (15) days, and recommend to the President the continuation, adjustment or lifting thereof based on prevailing market conditions and available data as may be necessary.

Section 3. Agency Directives.To ensure the immediate and effective implementation of this Order, all concerned agencies are directed to undertake coordinated actions within their respective mandates, as follows: