NFA Bicol supports PNoy’s reforms in food security program

Legazpi City (12 July) — The National Food authority (NFA) in Bicol welcomes the reforms and changes that President Benigno Simeon “P-Noy” Aquino III recently pushed in line with the government Food Security Program.

President Aquino announced he was planning to end the government’s rice importation program where billions of funds are spent.

He directed agriculture authorities to end rice importation and instructed them to find ways to improve the country’s rice production program.

Edgar Ventulan, NFA regional director in Bicol said that he will support any reform in his agency specifically on the rice importation program where the agency is incurring hundreds of millions losses yearly in the form of subsidy.

Ventulan claimed that in Bicol from January to June this year, the agency bought 800,000 bags of rice but financial records indicated that it incurred a P757-million loss because of the rice subsidy program.

Ventulan said presently, the NFA has at least 2.8 million bags of rice stored in various agency-designated warehouse across the region.

He said the agency has an adequate supply of rice enough for the next eight months or 250 days.

Ventulan said the agency maintains a rice stock position and millions of bags are ready for disposal in times of calamities, wherein priority rice distribution will be given to the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate.

He said NFA has maintained a buffer stock from imported rice and some acquired through the agency’s rice procurement program.

Ventulan noted that agency statistics indicate that the daily rice consumption in Bicol is pegged at 14,000 bags. (PNA Bicol/PIA)