Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. AND 
HON. BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Different measures must be undertaken to solve the country’s food problem, 
including food insecurity and rice shortage. This bill seeks to expand the scope of 
rice and corn hoarding, and strengthen the penal sanctions for such, as provided for 
under Republic Act No. 7581 or the Price Act of 1992.  
The act of rice and corn hoarding to manipulate the interplay of supply and demand 
in the market is a crime. It triggers a domino effect of unfortunate events. By creating 
an artificial shortage of rice and corn, the costs of the same shoot up, there is panic 
buying in the markets, government agencies are under fire for allegations of 
corruption and mismanagement, poor Filipino families cannot afford these basic 
commodities, and many go hungry. In sum, it is a dangerous crime that may 
potentially sabotage the economy and render our people desperate and hungry. 
It is high time that pertinent laws are amended to ensure that our legislation stays 
apposite to the realities of today. More importantly, we have to make rice and corn 
hoarders answerable under the law. To this end, this bill seeks to increase the 
penalty for rice hoarding and profiteering, and to cover acts and practices not 
previously included under the original law passed 30 years ago. 
In consideration of the foregoing premises, the swift passage of this bill is sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
May 9, 2023
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. AND 
HON. BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
AN ACT 
CONSIDERING RICE OR CORN HOARDING AND PROFITEERING DURING OR 
ON THE OCCASION OF ANY CALAMITY OF EMERGENCY DECLARED AS 
SUCH BY THE PRESIDENT AS EQUIVALENT TO ECONOMIC SABOTAGE, 
PARTLY AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7581, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PRICE ACT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Rice or Corn 
Hoarding and Profiteering Act.” 
SECTION 2. Section 3 of Republic Act 7581 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the term : 
X 
X 
X 
X 
(2a) “ECONOMIC SABOTAGE” IS ANY ACT OR ACTIVITY WHICH 
UNDERMINES, WEAKENS OR RENDERS INTO DIRESPUTE THE ECONOMIC 
SYSTEM OR VIABILITY OF THE COUNTRY OR TENDS TO BRING ABOUT 
SUCH EFFECTS AND SHALL INCLUDE, INTERALI, PRICE MANIPULATION TO 
THE PREJUDICE OF THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY IN THE SALE OF BASIC 
NECESSITIES AND/OR PRIME COMMODITIES. 
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(3) “Implementing agency” means the department, agency, or office of 
the Government, which has the jurisdiction over a basic necessity or prime 
commodity as defined in this Act, which shall be: 
 
(a) The Department of Agriculture with reference to any cultural 
crops, fish and other marine products, fresh meat, fresh poultry 
and dairy products, fertilizers and other farm inputs. 
 
(A1) THE NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY, WITH REFERENCE TO 
RICE AND CORN; 
 
X 
X 
X 
X 
 
SECTION 3. Section 5 of Republic Act 7581 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
 
“ SECTION 5. Illegal Acts of Price Manipulation. – Without prejudice to the 
provisions of existing laws on goods not covered by this Act, it shall be unlawful for 
any person habitually engaged in the production, manufacture, importation, storage, 
transport, distribution, sale or other methods of disposition of goods to engage in the 
following acts of price manipulation of any necessity or prime commodity: 
 
1) Hoarding, which is (A) the undue accumulation, STORAGE, OR 
POSSESSION by a person or combination of persons of any basic 
necessity or prime commodity beyond his or their normal inventory levels 
AS DETERMIND BY THE IMPLEMENTING AGENCY CONCERNED; or 
(B) the unreasonable limitation or refusal to dispose of, sell or distribute 
the stocks of any basic necessity or prime commodity to the general 
public; or (C) the unjustified REMOVAL of any basic necessity or prime 
commodity from the channels of production, trade, commerce and 
industry. There shall be prima facie evidence of hoarding when a person 
has stocks of any basic necessity or prime commodity IN A QUANTITY 
THAT IS fifty percent (50%) higher than his usual inventory GIEN THE 
SEASONTIME OF THE YEAR, the unreasonably limits, refuses or fails to 
sell the same to the general public OR MAKE THE SAME AVAILABLE IN 


THE REGULAR CHANNELS OF PRODUCTION, TRADE, COMMERCE, 
AND INDUSTRY at the time of discovery of the stocks. The determination 
of a person’s usual inventory shall be reckoned from the third month 
immediately preceding before the discovery of the stocks in case the 
person has been engaged in the business for at least three (3) months, 
otherwise, it shall be reckoned from the time he started his business: 
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT IN THE CASE OF RICE OR CORN, A 
PERSON’S USUAL INVENTORY THEREOF SHALL BE RECKONED 
FROM THE MONTH IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING BEFORE THE 
DISCOVERY OF THE STOCKS RESPECTIVE OF THE DATE/TIME HE 
STARTED HIS BUSINESS; 
 
2) Profiteering, which is the same or offering for sale of any basic necessity 
or prime commodity at a price grossly in excess of its true worth. There 
shall be prima facie evidence of profiteering whenever a basic necessity of 
prime commodity being sold: 
 
a) Has no price tag; 
 
b) Is misrepresented as to its weight or measurement; 
 
c) Is adulterated or diluted OR MIXED WITH ITEMS OF LOWER 
QUALITY IN THE CASE OF RICE OR CORN; or 
 
d) Whenever a person raises the price of any basic necessity or prime 
commodity he sells or offers for sale to the general public by more 
than ten percent (10%) of its price in the immediately preceding 
month; Provided, That, in the case of agricultural crops, EXCEPT 
RICE AND CORN, fresh fish, fresh marine products, and other 
seasonal products covered by this Act and as determined by the 
implementing agency, the prima facie provision shall not apply; and 
 
X X 
X  
X 
X 
 
 


 
SECTION 4. A new section shall be added and immediately follow SECTION 13 of 
Republic Act 7581 to read as follows: 
 
 
“SECTION  13-A. THE ANTI-RICE OR CORN HOARDING AND 
PROFITEERING TASK FORCE: COMPOSITION AND FUCTIONS. – WITH 
RESPECT TO RICE AND CORN, THERE SHALL BE CREATED AN ANTI-RICE 
OR CORN HOARDING AND PROFITEERING TASK FORCE IN EVERY 
PROVINCE, CITY AND MUNICIPALITY TASKED WITH MONITORING THE 
INVENTORY LEVEL OF ALL RICE OR CORN MILLS, WAREHOUSES AND 
STOCKHOUSES TO DETERMINE THEIR RESPECTIVE MONTHLY STOCKS OF 
RICE OR CORN THEREIN: PROVIDED, THAT AN INVENTORY REPORT OF 
EVERY MONITORING ACTIVITY SHALL BE RENDERED BY THE TASK FORCE 
TO THE IMPLEMENTING AGENCY CONCERNED, NOT LATER THAN TEN (10) 
DAYS FROM THE CONCLUSION THEREOF, WHETHER IN PHYSICAL OR 
DIGITAL FORM: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE REFUSAL TO ALLOW THE 
TASK FORCE OR ITS DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES TO CONDUCT 
MONITORING ACTIVITES IN THESE ESTABLISHMENTS SHALL BE PRIMA 
FACIE EVIDENCE OF THE ACT OF RICE OR CORN HOARDING AND/OR 
PROFITEERING BEING PERPETRATED THEREAT; PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT 
IF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS ARE OWNED BY JURIDICAL PERSONS, 
CRIMINAL LIABILITY FOR THE VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL ATTACH 
TO THE PERSONS WHO HAVE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF 
SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS, INCLUDING THE RESPECTIVE PRESIDENTS, 
CHIEF, OPERATING OFFICERS OR MANAGERS THEREOF SHOULD THE 
SAME BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOARDING AND/OR PROFITEERING. 
 
 
THE ANTI-RICE OR CORN HOARDING AND PROFITEERING TASK 
FORCE SHALL BE COMPOSED OF THE LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE 
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT CONCERNED, WHO SHALL ACT AS ITS CHAIR; 
ONE (1) REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PROVINCIAL/CITY FIELD/BRANCH 
OFFICE 
OF 
THE 
IMPLEMENTING 
AGENCY 
CONCERNED; 
ONE 
(1) 
REPRESENTATIVE 
FROM 
THE 
FARMER’S 
SECTOR; 
ONE 
(1) 


REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE LOCAL CONSUMER’S ORGANIZATION GROUP, 
IF ANY, AND THE LOCAL CHIEF OF POLICE, AS MEMBERS. 
 
 
THE OWNER/OPERATOR/MANAGEMENT OF EVERY RICE OR CORN 
MILL, WAREHOUSE OR STOCKHOUSE IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO THE 
TASK FORCE A DULY-CERTIFIED AND SWORN MONTHLY REPORT OF ITS  
INVENTORY OF RICE AND CORN STOCKS, WHETHER IN PHYSICAL OR 
DIGITAL FORM; PROVIDED THAT, FAILURE TO DO SO SHALL BE PRIMA 
FACIE EVIDENCE OF THE ACT OF RICE OR CORN HOARDING AND 
PROFITEERING 
BEING 
PERPETRATED 
IN 
THE 
ESTABLISHMENT 
CONCERNED. 
 
SECTION 5. Section 15 of Republic Act 7581 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
 
“Section 15. Penalty for Acts of Illegal Price Manipulation. – Any person 
who commits any act of illegal price manipulation of any basic necessity or 
prime commodity under Section 5 hereof shall suffer the penalty of 
imprisonment for a period of not less than five (5) years nor more than fifteen 
(15) years, and shall be imposed a fine of not less than Five Thousand Pesos 
(P5,000.00) nor more than Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000.00): PROVIDED, 
THAT THE ACTS OF RICE OR CORN HOARDING OR PROFITEERING SHALL 
BE PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN 
TEN (10) YEARS NOR MORE THAN TWENTY (20) YEARS AND A FINE OF NOT 
LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) NOR MORE 
THAN FIVE MILLION PESOS (P 5,000,000.00): PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT 
WHEN THE ACTS OF RICE OR CORN HOARDING AND PROFITEERING ARE 
COMMITED DURING OR ON THE OCCASION OF ANY CALAMITY, DISASTER 
OR ANY EMERGENCY DECLARED AS SUCH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, THEY SHALL BE DEEMED EQUIVALENT TO 
THE ECONOMIC SABOTAGE, AND PUNISHABLE BY RECLUSION PERPETUA: 
PROVIDED, CRIMINAL LIABILITY SHALL ATTACH TO THE PERSONS WHO 
HAVE DIRECT SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OF SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS, 
INCLUDING THE RESPECTIVE PRESIDENTS, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS 


OR MANAGERS THEREOF SHOULD THE SAME BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 
HOARDING AND/OR PROFITEERING. 
 
 
IN ADDITION TO THE PENALTY IMPOSED FOR RICE OR CORN 
HOARDING AND PROFITEERING UNDER THIS ACT, HOARDED RICE OR 
CORN STOCKS SHALL BE CONFISCATED AND FORFEITED IN FAVOR OF THE 
GOVERNMENT. 
 
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of 
Agriculture shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within 
sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any part of provision of this 
Act is declared invalid, such declaration shall not affect the other provisions of this 
Act. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees or issuances, 
executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof  contrary to or consistent with 
the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
 
Approved,