Kidapawan City, Philippines: A 52-year old father has ended his life Wednesday when rice stocks became scarce and prices soared high in his town in Midsayap, North Cotabato.
Rodrigo Villar Bangca, small-time vendor in Poblacion-6 in Midsayap, hanged himself using a rope. His body was found a day after by Wilma Celebio, a farm caretaker.
Bangca’s wife told investigators that her husband has been very upset after he learned that the rice supply in his town has become scarce and that the prices had soared high.
Most rice retailers in Midsayap and in other towns in North Cotabato closed their stores when prices of rice became unstable.
“Last week, we can still buy a sack of rice from the wholesalers worth P1,850. Few hours later, it increased to about P2,050. A day after, it soared to about P2,200. Today, a sack of Milagrosa rice is sold at P2,500,†said rice retailer Toto Bacus.
The Milagrosa, first class rice, is sold in the market here at P50 to P52 per kilo because of scarcity in supply,†he stressed.
Ordinary rice is sold at P38 to P40 per kilo, while NFA rice is still at P18.25 per kilo.
Bangca told investigators that days before her husband hanged himself, he heard him saying that life is getting harder for poor people like them. - Philippine News Agency
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