THE National Food Authority (NFA) in Davao says there is no shortage of rice, in general, in Davao City, just lack of stocks of NFA rice.
However, NFA Davao City Manager Leonila V. Selpa clarified that there are still no available rice stocks in their warehouse since March 15.
"Actually in Davao City, there is no shortage of rice – only NFA because of the new stocks of commercial rice that arrived," Selpa clarified in vernacular in an interview with Sun Star Davao yesterday, May 8.
Selpa said they are expecting the nationwide arrival of 100,000 metric tons of NFA rice by the end of May and another 100,000 metric tons by June 15 and 50,000 metric tons by June 30. All of these will come from Vietnam and Thailand and will be distributed to different NFA branches nationwide.
She added the program "Tulong sa Bayan" of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will continue until the supplies of NFA rice from the rice importers will arrive.
It can be recalled that the government introduced the program "Tulong Sa Bayan" in answer to the deficiency of stocks of NFA Rice.
Selpa said that the program aims to trade commercial rice to the marginalized group of consumers at a selling price of P39 per kilo as an alternative to the NFA Rice. In Davao City, Selpa said there are about 26 accredited 'Tulong sa Bayan' service outlets.
She assures that the rice being sold is in good quality and in fact being monitored daily. (Ella Delicana, Andrew Comoda, NDDU Interns)