Friday, September 05, 2008 Cheap NFA rice pulled out from public markets By Carlo P. Mallo
THE cheapest variety of the government-subsidized National Food Authority (NFA) rice has been pulled out from the public markets of Davao City.
But NFA provincial manager of Davao City Lorenzo Camayang denied reports that the P18.25 NFA rice has been totally pulled out from the market, saying this is still available through Tindahan Natin and Bigasan sa Parokya outlets.
"As for the market based outlets, they are selling the P25 per kilo variety, still NFA rice," Camayang said.
The pullout was in compliance of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's orders.
The Department of Agriculture, for its part, said the pullout of the P18.25 per kilo NFA rice from the public markets is to ensure that only the "real poor" would have access to the cheap rice.
In a briefing in Palayan, Nueva Ecija, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the pullout started as early as two months ago, and the government through the local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) had been preparing for it.
"I am asking the DSWD to be more efficient in targeting families that are qualified for the P18.25 per kilo rice," he said.
Yap said it is the obligation of the government to ensure that only those who could not afford higher priced rice or the poorest of the poor benefits from the subsidized rice program.
The government already spent about P13 billion of the P25 billion allocated for the subsidizing of rice for 2008, added Yap.
He said the government is planning to spend about P4 billion more for the NFA rice next year.
