Malacañang on Tuesday, April 3, said there is no need for the public to panic amidst reports that the National Food Authority (NFA) has no more rice supply available.
“We all know na mababa na talaga ang stocks ng NFA (We all know that NFA rice stocks are really low), but the overall rice supply is more than sufficient with plenty to spare. No need to panic,” Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said in statement.
In a phone patch interview with reporters at the Palace, Assistant Secretary of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary Jonas George S. Soriano said the NFA rice shortage was actually the reason why the NFA Council had a special meeting with President Rodrigo R. Duterte last March 19.
“Kasi malaking kwestyon para sa lahat including the Council bakit naubusan ng NFA rice (The big question is why the NFA ran out of supply). Mind you ah, we’re not talking about overall supply in rice kasi marami tayong bigas sa Pilipinas (because we have sufficient rice supply). NFA is only a small portion, 4-5 percent of the overall distribution ng rice. Still, ang NFA rice is supposed to be used as a buffer stock sa kalamidad (during calamities) so dapat talagang hindi dapat maubos yan (so it should never run out of supply),” Mr. Soriano said.
In a statement, Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino said he expects “surge in price of rice.”
Senator Grace Poe have also called for the resignation of top NFA officials “for their incompetence that led to the total depletion of its rice reserve in the market, forcing Filipino families to settle for costly rice in the market.”
The senator said she is “calling for the resignation of NFA Administrator Jason (Laureano Y.) Aquino.”
“If there is indeed a zero percent buffer of rice, this is an indication of the inefficiency of his leadership,” the senator said in her statement.
Ms. Poe added that “NFA Administrator Aquino should be replaced by somebody who has the capability and track record to efficiently run the agency. This is the first time that we experienced this and we cannot afford to repeat this scenario.”
In his statement on March 22, NFA Council Chairperson Leoncio B. Evasco reported that the NFA Council favors the conduct of a special audit of NFA’s procurement and distribution operations.
The audit, according to Mr. Evasco, “shall be administered by the Commission on Audit so as to assess the current NFA operations to determine points for improvements and streamline bottlenecks in the agency’s procurement and distribution processes with the end goal to make NFA cost effective and operationally efficient.”
He likewise said that the NFA Council “is keen in ensuring continued supply of affordable rice for the Filipino People while working hand in hand with other departments.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

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