In a bold move to restore public trust, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has promised to implement a stringent ‘double-layer’ quality control system for the Rice for All (RFA) program. This announcement comes in the wake of disturbing reports of ‘bukbok’ or rice weevils found in some RFA rice sacks at a Kadiwa ng Pangulo stall in Cubao, Quezon City. Tiu Laurel, speaking at a press conference at the NFA warehouse in Valenzuela City, emphasized that this was an isolated incident but a critical lesson for the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) to enhance their vigilance.
The Secretary revealed that the DA had already initiated an investigation into why the sale of the affected rice continued despite orders to halt it. To prevent future occurrences, Tiu Laurel plans to collaborate with rice experts from the National Food Authority (NFA) to train DA and FTI staff on proper quality control protocols.
The RFA program offers various rice options at KNP centers and kiosks, including RFA5 at PHP43/kg, RFA25 at PHP35/kg, and RFA100 at PHP33/kg. These options are available at select public markets and LRT and MRT stations.
In a separate development, Tiu Laurel disclosed the relief of the general manager of an NFA warehouse in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, due to alleged mismanagement. This action followed reports of thousands of sacks of palay left unprocessed since 2023. Tiu Laurel noted that an investigation had been ongoing since last year, leading to the manager’s relief due to negligence. Although the incident involved 20,000 bags, it represents a small fraction of the nearly 7 million bags managed by the NFA. The Secretary mentioned plans to file an administrative case against the relieved manager.