FOUR government agencies held a meeting to discuss details on the utilization of excess rice that are apparently rotting in various warehouses, the Palace said Monday.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, Agriculture and National Food Authority (NFA) convened to come up with recommendations that will solve the problem on imported rice.
"Secretaries Dinky Soliman, Proceso Alcala, and Jesse Robredo, together with the NFA Administrator Lito Banayo, meet Monday morning to discuss the details of the distribution of excess rice,” he reiterated.
He said the concerned government agencies will be submitting their recommendations too to President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino on Tuesday.
“There are details that will be followed. We will just disclose it once the President approves the recommendation of the three Cabinet secretaries and NFA Administrator Lito Banayo,” Lacierda noted.
He said they are expecting final decision on Wednesday or Thursday.
One way Malacanang is considering to avoid rice wastage is to distribute it to poor families.
Lacierda declined to divulge details of the move, saying he would leave the explanation and announcement to the four agencies who drafted the recommendation.
He meanwhile admitted that they have identified sectors which will benefit from the extra rice, confirming that the food-for-school program is another sensible way to dispatch it.
“Secretary Soliman is giving details about their recommendations but I will just leave them the job and I will invite the three officials and NFA administrator Banayo to explain this,” he adde. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)