The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to declare a food security emergency for rice on February 4, as announced by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. during an interview on January 31, 2025. This declaration will allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to begin distributing its rice reserves to local government units, other government agencies, and government-owned corporations to combat rising rice prices.
Secretary Tiu Laurel confirmed that his office had received the necessary resolution from the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) while he was in the US. He stated that he would sign the resolution after a meeting, indicating his agreement with the measure. The DA requires at least two working days to review such resolutions before making an official declaration.
Once declared, the NFA will be authorized to sell its rice stocks, including non-aging rice, at PHP36 per kilogram to various government entities. These entities can then sell the rice to consumers at PHP38 per kilogram. Tiu Laurel emphasized that this move would help clear NFA warehouses and enable the NFA to purchase more rice from farmers, benefiting both the NFA and the agricultural community.
The Agriculture Secretary also mentioned that he would refine the guidelines for the distribution of NFA stocks to ensure efficient transactions. A significant portion of the 150,000 metric tons of NFA rice, equivalent to about three million 50-kg bags, will be allocated primarily to local government units and government agencies in Luzon and Sultan Kudarat, where NFA stocks are abundant.
The DA plans to start releasing these rice stocks in the second week of February.