SAN ILDEFONSO, Bulacan (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is determined to push Congress to restore the original function of the National Food Authority (NFA) to sustain food security and price stability.
The Chief Executive made the assurance during an informal dialogue with Bulacan farmers held at the NFA warehouse in San Ildefonso town.
He pointed out that when the NFA was founded in 1972 by his father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., the agency’s mandate was not only to focus on rice but also corn and other basic food commodities.
Farmers are calling on the president to bring back the regulatory functions of the NFA to help stabilize food prices, especially rice.
The president also wants the NFA to be allowed to regularly sell cheap but quality rice in the market again.
While waiting for this medium-term reform, he ordered Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel to expedite the procurement of delivery trucks in order to pick up palay directly from the farmland of the farmers.
He also approved the allocation of P5.3 billion to NFA for the provision of rice dryers wherein six units are set to be deployed in Bulacan.
Additional rice mills in Bulacan, similar to those in the municipality of Pulilan and the city of Baliwag, are also underway to be funded by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
Meanwhile, President Marcos also went inside the warehouse where he personally supervised the on-going palay procurement of NFA in San Ildefonso.
NFA Bulacan Acting Manager Rhona Talens disclosed that about 549,000 cavans of palay were already procured by the agency and now being stocked in their warehouses in the city of Malolos, and the municipalities of Balagtas, San Miguel and San Ildefonso.
Out of this, 300,000 cavans of palay are already scheduled for milling.
President Marcos likewise witnessed the arrival of 130,000 cavans of palay in San Ildefonso.
NFA Administrator Larry Lacson explained that the procured palay will serve as the country’s buffer stock to supply the rice requirements during calamity and for the sustainability of selling P20 per kilo of rice under “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” program.
He also reiterated that selling palay to NFA is definitely an advantage for the farmers rather than sell it to the private traders at P16 per kilo only.
NFA procurement price is P19 per kilo for the fresh or newly harvested palay while P24 per kilo for clean and dry palay.
To ensure the safety of palay against rain and all types of infestation, the NFA is in the midst of rehabilitating its warehouses.
The Malolos warehouse, where the NFA Bulacan Provincial Office is located, has reopened following a P10 million worth rehabilitation.
The primary components of the rehabilitation include upgraded electrical systems, improved ventilation, and updated safety features.
Rehabilitation of NFA warehouses in San Ildefonso, San Miguel and Balagtas are now in the pipeline.
The agency is targeting to complete the rehabilitation of 134 warehouses across the country by 2027. (CLJD/SFV, PIA Region 3-Bulacan)
