With the National Food Authority (NFA) Council approving the importation of 250,000 metric tons of rice via open tender, House Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Karlo “Ang Probinsyano” Nograles on Thursday urged the NFA management to ensure that the imported stocks would be distributed properly to prevent problems that have plagued rice stocks that were previously imported by the grains agency.
At the sidelines of the event “Kasaysayan, Tanglaw ng Gurong San Joseno” in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan, Nograles said the NFA “should learn from its previous missteps so that the rice coming in will be able to achieve its purpose.”
Aside from announcing the additional importation of rice stocks that are expected to arrive in November, the NFA said the incoming supply would “increase NFA’s active participation in the market by as much as 20 percent.”
“Make sure that the rice stocks are where they are needed, particularly in the non rice-producing provinces and those far from the capital.”
The legislator from Mindanao said that if the imported rice is properly distributed, it should be able to stabilize rice supplies and prices and put the brakes on the country’s inflation rate.
“Dalawa lang sana hinihiling ko sa NFA. (I only have two requests for the NFA.) One, make sure that the rice stocks are where they are needed, particularly in the non rice-producing provinces and those far from the capital. We have to make sure our kapwa probinsyano (people in the provinces) have access to affordable rice,” stressed Nograles.
“We have to make sure our kapwa probinsyano (people in the provinces) have access to affordable rice.”
“Pangalawa, pakiayos lang ng sistema sa pag-unload ng bigas. (Two, please fix the system in unloading the rice.) Because the longer it takes to unload the rice, the more vulnerable they become to infestation,” explained the solon.
As an example, Nograles pointed out that the imported Thai rice shipment in Bicol was discovered to have been infested with weevils because it took over two months for the shipment to get to the region after arriving in Manila.
“The rice arrived in Manila on June 3, but Bicol’s allocation arrived in Tabaco on August 17. Because 177,000 out of 200,000 bags were infested, the unloading was delayed because they had to treat the rice. Then other factors came into play, like the weather. Sana naman this time around, i-anticipate na ng NFA ang ganitong klaseng problema, and they prepare for all contingencies para ma-distribute agad ang bigas na ipapasok natin.”
