Manila, April 21 -- Malacanang is calling on local government units (LGUs) to help fast-track the movement of food products by removing bottlenecks, as part of efforts to lower prices amid high fuel costs triggered by the Middle East crisis.

In a statement Tuesday, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto called for the immediate accreditation of farmers and traders to enable them to benefit from toll and port fee waivers earlier ordered by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The government started implementing on April 20 a month-long toll holiday for food trucks, exempt them from truck bans in Metro Manila and suspend LGUs' delivery fees to ease logistics costs and help temper food prices.

"This begins with the speedy accreditation of farmers a...