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Saturday, April 26, 2008
Arroyo assures steady supply, safety of rice
DUMAGUETE CITY -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has assured the public that her administration will ensure that every table has food on it including rice -- the staple food.
She has also ensured the safety of the rice the country has to import particularly from the United States.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
President Arroyo made the assurance during a media interaction held at the Negros Oriental Convention Center in Dumaguete City Friday morning.
The President arrived in Dumaguete around 10 a.m. and proceeded directly to the Dumaguete City Provider Ministries Fellowship International where she witnessed rice distribution.
The Provider Ministries International is an affiliate of the Independent Bishops Conference of the Philippines (IBCP) headed by Bishop Ephraim Perez, and is among the Pentecostal evangelical churches that are recipient of the faith-based rice-retailing program of the National Food Authority (NFA).
The church ministry has since distributed rice to some 100 members and aims to reach out to some 1,000 families even in the hinterland parts of the province.
President Arroyo said that before the issue of low rice production hit the headlines, her administration has already foreseen this scenario.
She said it was for this reason that she had earlier talked with Vietnam and Thailand, the US, including other countries, and got their commitment to assure the Philippines of a steady supply of rice in case of production shortfall.
"Ang unang unang obligasyon natin ay pagkain sa bawat mesa (Our main obligation is to put food on every table)," stressed Arroyo.
Aside from importation, President Arroyo revealed that the country would continue to plant rice to ensure additional supply.
The President however admitted that while her administration has called on farmers to plant more rice, she also acknowledged that the Philippines has wide but at the same time rocky, mountainous lands with few sources of fresh water.
"Certainly we have plans to plant rice more but let me also say that the Philippines is a rocky mountainous archipelago with relatively few freshwater sources," she said.
She added that this is why the government is investing in the rehabilitation and repair of irrigation systems aside from building new ones to sustain rice production.
She said the government is also developing more hybrid seeds and providing more capital for farmers as part of efforts to increase rice production.
Amid fears of possible health risk arising from the rice supply imported from other countries, President Arroyo said that all imported grains have undergone and passed strict standards including those specified by the World Health Organization (WHO) before they are acquired and received in the country.
"(We conform) to the international quarantine agreement so that is a health-related requirement and our NFA and in its contract to buy and sell, we specified the kind of fumigant, we specified the dosage, and we specified the method to comply with the requirements of WHO," she said.
The Greenpeace International cautioned the public of imported rice particularly from the US, which may include genetically modified organisms that could be harmful to one's health.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye meantime said the Philippines would not import and release any grains, crops or food items if it would cause harm to the people.
Bunye, who is also the Presidential spokesman, said the government is well aware of the concerns over imported rice but gives the assurance of the safety of imported rice.
"I don't think they will import any crops or any cereals that would cause harm to those who would consume them," he said.
He advised the public to take the word of the President that these varieties of rice and cereals are safe and if they are served "I would not have any hesitation to partaking this." (EBS/JMR/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (April 26, 2008 issue)
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