Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Rice still beyond reach in N. Mindanao
OZAMIZ CITY -- Poor logistics is hampering the availability of government-subsidized rice of the National Food Authority (NFA) to the poor families in northwestern Mindanao.
This despite the agency's increased volume of supply deployed for retail throughout the country to help ease the prices of commercial rice.
Since mid-June, the NFA has increased the daily allocation for each household from two to five kilos. It has also retailed at least four varieties at varying prices.
But the lack of NFA outlets is still making access to cheap rice difficult especially for residents of far-flung rural areas.
In Misamis Occidental, this problem is partly remedied by mobilizing the province's 480 barangay governments for retail operations of NFA rice.
Governor Loreto Ocampos said the fare rural folks spend just to buy cheap rice in the urban centers is better added to food spending.
He explained, however, that the rice retail operation of barangay governments is made as an extension of their public service mandate and not for profit.
The scheme, however, did not quite ease the queues in several urban barangays. A barangay official in Ozamiz said this could be because more families are availing of NFA rice now, although commercial rice prices have eased by P3 to P8 per kilo depending on the variety.
In Lanao del Norte, retailing in many NFA outlets continues based on the two-kilo allocation per household.
In Baroy town, an NFA outlet selling P18.25-per-kilo rice gives out only two kilos per household every other day, sending disgruntled community folks scouting for cheaper commercial rice varieties sold at the public market for additional supply.
Residents said they are wondering why the five-kilo allocation is not implemented in the province.
"At least five kilos per day would have been an improved worth of my half-kilometer walk," an old lady complained in the vernacular while waiting for her turn to buy under the mid-day heat. (Ryan D. Rosauro)
