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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Longer queues for NFA rice in markets
By Ruary Feb B. Suminguit and Cherie Fae P. Ancheta
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- More and more rice consumers in Cogon and Carmen markets in this city are queuing for cheap rice after Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap ordered the National Food Authority (NFA) to release more staple grains.
In Carmen market, more people waited for the four Bigasan ni Gloria outlets to open at 2 p.m. Some rice consumers, like Pining Ogoc, 50, a resident of Barangay Carmen, queued early so they can buy three kilos, the maximum allowed by NFA to each buyer.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Ogoc said she usually gets her ration at past 2 p.m., thus her family of five would only be able to eat their lunch late in the afternoon.
She said this is already her daily routine since last week when the prices of commercial rice in the markets hit P30 per kilo.
The situation is much worse at the Atrium in Cogon market where consumers have to brave the heat, the shoving and pushing to line first.
NFA personnel start selling rice around 12 noon, and by that time, many consumers' are already irritated.
In his visit last week, Secretary Yap ordered NFA officials to open more outlets to ease the long queues at the city markets. Yap also ordered the officials to coordinate with Mayor Constantino Jaraula and other officials for the opening of outlets in the barangays.
But except for some announcements to the media, plans to sell NFA rice in Barangay Nazareth and Lapasan did not materialize.
In Cebu, the NFA increased the rice allocation per government unit in the province to 30 sacks per week from the original quota of 20 sacks.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the allocation can still be increased.
Cebu City, meanwhile, will get an additional 14 "Tindahan Natin" stores to make sure government-subsidized rice will reach more urban poor and mountain barangay communities.
"NFA assured us there is enough supply of rice in Cebu and they would even increase distribution to urban poor areas and mountain barangays through the Tindahan Natin program," Cebu City Administrator Francisco Fernandez told reporters Monday.
At present, there are 16 Tindahan Natin outlets in Cebu City, with 14 more to be set up in the coming months.
Dabawenyos, at the same time, are assured of enough supply to last for the next two months even as Davao farmers are now preparing for the harvest season this month.
Mindanao Business Council (MBC) chairman Vicente Lao said the city has rice supplies that can last for the next 66 days, notwithstanding the imported rice and the rice to be harvested this month.
"We have stocks that will last the next 66 days," Lao said.
The looming rice crisis also prompted an administration congressman in urging Congress to grant President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of emergency powers.
La Union Representative Thomas Dumpit Jr. on Monday filed House Resolution 512, which he said would "immediately and effectively address the rice crisis in the country in the most efficient and judicious manner."
"In view of the massive proportions of the crisis and in order to effectively address the same, there is a compelling need to treat the rice problem as a calamity and grant President Arroyo emergency powers in a restrictive scope," he said.
The legislator reiterated, however, that the granting of special powers must only be used for the sole purpose of addressing the rice shortage.
Dumpit warned that the continuing rise in the prices of the staple and other basic commodities might lead to anarchy.
"The large escalation on the staple's price may cause a social and political uprising in the country," he said.
But Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez, an opposition congressman, opposed the resolution, saying it would be "funny" for Congress to initiate such move.
He said it is the President who should first declare an emergency "to clearly define the extent of the emergency."
House Speaker Prospero Nograles agreed with Golez, saying Congress should first wait for the President to convene the Legislative-Executive Development and Advisory Council (Ledac) and ask for such additional powers. (WV/JMR/CPM of Sun.Star Davao/LCR/JGA of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cebu. (April 15, 2008 issue)
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