THE establishment of Bigas ng Masa in Negros Occidental may not push through after President Rodrigo Duterte issued an Executive Order putting back the National Food Authority (NFA) under the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“I have a feeling of the possibility that there could be changes in the establishment of the Bigas ng Masa because of that changes,” Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino told SunStar Bacolod on April 24.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol would have wanted the DA to have a program through Bigas ng Masa but we expect changes because of the recent developments, he said.

Piñol and Duterte have been expected to arrive in the province for the launching of Bigas ng Masa during the Panaad sa Negros Festival but up this time, they have no definite schedule yet.

The DA has regained supervision of the NFA, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), and Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA).

Duterte made the decision to revert the agencies to DA supervision during his meeting with NFA Council members on April 16.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in a statement that the three agencies will be made attached agencies of the DA.

The NFA and PCA were among the agencies placed under the office of Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr through Duterte's very first executive order.

It was by virtue of this EO that Evasco served as NFA Council chairman.

Former president Benigno Aquino III issued EO 165 moving the NFA, PCA, and FPA from DA supervision to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, amid reports of corruption and mismanagement of the agencies under the DA.

Piñol earlier announced that a proposed tri-partite agreement between the DA, Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, and a farmers’ cooperative will make the province the first area in the country to implement the Bigas ng Masa Program (Rice for the Masses program).

The partnership will result in the selling of commercial rice at less than P40 per kilogram.

Piñol recalled that the establishment of RPC was funded by the DA during the previous administration in the amount of P25 million with a provincial counterpart of P35 million in 2012. (Teresa D. Ellera)