Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) president and Quirino Governor Dax Cua called on his fellow local leaders to take advantage of the cheaper rice stock from the National Food Authority (NFA) for their constituents.
“This is an opportunity for us to provide immediate and much-needed relief to our constituents amid the high price of rice. Huwag po natin sayangin ang pagkakataong ito na makatulong sa ating mga komunidad at mga kababayan na umaaray na sa presyo ng mga bilihin,” Cua said.
On February 3, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. approved the release of NFA rice stocks following the declaration of a food emergency.
“Our help in purchasing these rice stocks is not only for consumers, but also for our farmers who won’t be able to sell to the government.”
The Department of Agriculture announced that it plans to sell 150,000 metric tons of NFA rice stocks to local government units in a bid to free up NFA warehouses in time for the palay harvest season and to push down rice prices in the market.
The NFA rice stocks are priced at P33 to P35 per kilo through the DA’s Food Terminals Inc. (FTI).
Cua emphasized the need for LGUs to help out the national government in disbursing the rice, as failure to do so would result in the NFA being unable to purchase harvested rice from local farmers.
“Our help in purchasing these rice stocks is not only for consumers, but also for our farmers who won’t be able to sell to the government,” said Cua.
The governor also urged the Commission on Elections to grant the DA’s request to exempt from the election spending ban the NFA’s sale of the rice stocks to LGUs.
He called on the poll body to issue “a clarification as well on how LGUs can safely distribute the rice without violating the ban.”
