In an effort to bolster food security, the National Food Authority (NFA) in Eastern Visayas is gearing up to distribute 71,000 bags of rice to local government units (LGUs) interested in the initiative. This move comes under the food security emergency for rice, declared by the Department of Agriculture, which aims to make rice more accessible and affordable across the region.
May Sara Sabarre, the NFA Eastern Visayas Regional Manager, has been actively engaging with local officials to prepare for the distribution, which is set to commence on February 15. The initiative follows a similar rollout in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon, where the emergency declaration has already been implemented.
Initial interest in the program has come from various local governments, including the provincial government of Leyte, and the city governments of Ormoc, Baybay, Maasin, Calbayog, and Catbalogan, as well as the municipal government of Catarman in Northern Samar. These entities are poised to distribute the NFA rice to their communities.
Under the emergency measures, the NFA will sell its rice stocks at PHP36 per kilogram to LGUs, other government agencies, and government-owned corporations. Consumers will be able to purchase this rice at a capped price of PHP38 per kilogram, making it a more affordable option for many.
Sabarre highlighted the potential impact of this distribution on the market, noting that past experiences have shown that when NFA rice constitutes about 10 percent of the market supply, it can significantly influence overall rice prices.
The initiative marks a shift from the restrictions imposed by the Rice Tariffication Law of 2019, which limited the NFA’s role to procuring palay from local farmers for buffer stocking purposes only.