MAASIN CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) is stockpiling large quantities of locally harvested rice in Region 8.
The National Food Authority (NFA) Eastern Visayas has 71,000 bags of rice for the local government units (LGUs) in the region, after the Department of Agriculture declared the food security emergency for rice. The release starts on February 15, 2025, according to NFA Regional Manager May Sara Sabarre.
The local government units that initially expressed interest in the NFA rice distribution were Maasin City, Southern Leyte; the Leyte provincial government and city governments of Ormoc and Baybay; Calbayog City and Catbalogan City of Samar; and the municipal government of Catarman, Northern Samar.
Maria Sarah Gloria, acting warehouse assistant of the Southern Leyte Provincial Office, said that the number of rice bags to be delivered to Southern Leyte this year may depend on the LGU’s allocation. However, in Maasin City alone, the NFA plans to purchase 2,000 bags of rice. “We will contact some LGUs to see if they are willing to procure NFA rice,” she added.
Rice stockpiling operations are concentrated in key locations, including Southern Leyte, Biliran, and Alang-Alang, Leyte.
Currently, the NFA Maasin stockroom holds over 600 sacks of rice, stored since last year. Supplies are continuously replenished through ongoing milling activities in Saint Bernard. Additionally, rice purchased from Hinunangan and Saint Bernard is stored at the FCLG Maria Asuncion, Saint Bernard warehouse, according to Gloria.
The NFA will sell rice to select Kadiwa sites, other government agencies, and government-owned and controlled corporations at PHP36 per kilogram. And, consumers can buy NFA rice at a maximum price of PHP38 per kilogram.
The government has set the price of a 50-kilogram sack of rice at P1,450 for authorized agencies. However, its distribution in retail markets remains restricted under Republic Act (RA) 11203, also known as the Rice Tariffication Law. Only Local Government Units (LGUs), Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and other government agencies are allowed to procure stocks.
Rice distribution also depends on various factors, particularly during calamities. In times of disaster, such as typhoons, rice stocks are allocated to affected areas through NFA warehouses.
All rice in the current stockpile are locally sourced, primarily from Hinunangan. The focus remains on supporting local farmers and ensuring a sufficient supply for government relief efforts, Gloria reveals.
The NFA’s ongoing stockpiling initiatives aim to maintain stable rice reserves that are accessible for government use and disaster relief operations.
Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo stated that under RA 11203 or Rice Liberalization Law, the NFA is prohibited from selling rice. This law removed the NFA’s mandate to sell subsidized rice; that the NFA is now just for buffer stocking, she added.
(Andrea Vista, Source: NFA, PNA)
