NFA rice shortage

Sen. Bam expects surge in price of rice, renews call to replace NFA administrator

Sen. Bam Aquino renewed his call for the resignation of top National Food Authority (NFA) officials for their incompetence that led to the total depletion of its rice reserve in the market, forcing Filipino families to settle for costly rice in the market.

“Lalong tataas ang presyo ng bigas ngayong ubos na ang stock ng NFA Rice. Napipilitan nang magbawas ng kanin ang mga karaniwang Pilipino, at posibleng isang beses kada araw na lang ang paghain nila ng kanin para sa pamilya,” Sen. Bam said in reaction to reports that the NFA’s rice reserve is completely gone.

“Hinahayaan lang ng NFA na lumaki ang problema na dulot ng kanilang kapalpakan. Dapat lang na palitan na ang NFA administrator at magtakda ng bagong pinuno na may kakayahang solusyunan ito,” added Sen. Bam.

 During a Senate hearing on the NFA rice problem, NFA administrator Jason Aquino admitted that the agency has failed to comply with the 15-day buffer stock policy for almost one year. This inefficiency resulted in the increase in prices of rice, forcing Filipino families to spend more for their staple food.

“Ang 35 pesos per kilo ng bigas noon, 45 pesos na ngayon. Limandaang piso ang dagdag nito sa gastusin ng pamilyang Pilipino kada buwan kung isang kilong bigas ang kanilang nakokonsumo bawat araw. Nangyari ito dahil sa kapabayaan ng NFA sa kanilang tungkulin,” said Sen. Bam. 

Earlier, Sen. Bam called on the NFA and the NFA Council to iron out their differences and address the lack of supply of NFA Rice in the market so as to spare the public from high prices of rice in the market.

Sen. Bam to gov’t agencies: Don’t make poor Filipinos wait further for affordable rice

The National Food Authority (NFA) and other concerned government agencies should get their acts together swiftly to normalize the supply of affordable rice in the market for poor Filipinos, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

“Ang problemang ito, hindi na puwedeng maghintay at ito ang pakiramdam ng maraming Pilipino. At the soonest possible time, dapat magkaroon na ng mas murang bigas sa merkado,” said Sen. Bam during an urban poor sector meeting in Tondo, Manila together with Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Iyong papahintayin mo ang kapwa Pilipino na tatlong buwan, anim na buwan, hindi na acceptable iyon kasi isang taon na po itong mismanagement na nangyayari,” added Sen. Bam, referring to the NFA’s failure to meet the 15-day buffer stock for NFA Rice since March of last year.

Sen. Bam said the NFA and the NFA Council should iron out their differences and address the lack of supply of NFA Rice in the market so as to spare the public from high prices of rice in the market.

“Sila ang nag-aaway pero tayo ang nagkakaproblema. Sana magkasundo na at nang maaral ang pinaka-mainam na paraan sa lalong madaling panahon upang mabigyan na ng murang bigas ang ating mahihirap na kababayan,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said poor families have to spend an additional P500 a month as they have no other option but to purchase commercial rice, due to lack of NFA Rice in the market. 

“Batay sa pag-aaral, 20 porsiyento ng gastos ng pamilyang Pilipino ay napupunta sa bigas kaya mahalagang magkaroon na ng solusyon dito. Kaya babantayan natin ito hanggang magkaroon na sila ng solusyon dito,” Sen. Bam stressed.

Sen. Bam, who has been actively participating in the Senate hearing on issues hounding the NFA, called for the resignation of NFA administrator Jason Aquino for his failure to ensure the supply of NFA Rice for poor Filipinos.

“Maglagay tayo ng tao na kayang gawin ang mandato ng NFA, at iyong ang pagkakaroon ng murang bigas sa merkado at hindi gagawa ng kung anu-anong rason,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam calls for resignation of NFA officials in light of rice fiasco

Senator Bam Aquino has called for the resignation of National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Jason Aquino and top officials, saying that they have failed to ensure food security for the Filipino people, especially the poor.

“We are talking about food security for the poorest Filipino families. We need someone who can get the job done,” said Sen. Bam after attending the hearing of the Committee on Agriculture and Food on the issue of NFA rice.

During the hearing, Sen. Bam stressed that poor Filipinos will have to spend P500 more a month for rice until June due to the NFA’s failure to ensure the supply of affordable NFA Rice in the market.

”Ang 27 pesos per kilo ng bigas noon ay 42 pesos na. Limandaang piso ang dagdag nito sa gastusin ng pamilyang Pilipino kada buwan kung isang kilong bigas ang kanilang nakokonsumo bawat araw. Nangyari ito dahil nabigo ang NFA na mapanatili ang mandated 15-day buffer stock,” said Sen. Bam.

During Sen. Bam’s questioning, the NFA administrator admitted that the agency has failed to comply with the 15-day buffer stock policy for almost one year. With no lower-priced rice available in the market, prices of rice skyrocketed, making the expensive variety the only available option for Filipinos. 

Worse, the NFA administrator admitted the country’s current buffer stock for NFA rice is just 1.7 days, much to the dismay of Sen. Bam and the other Senators present. 

“Dahil sa kapalpakan ng NFA, tumataas ang presyo ng bigas. Isang taon nilang pinayagan na bumaba ang buffer stock natin at nagdulot ito ng pagtaas ng presyo sa merkado,” said Sen. Bam.

The NFA said it expects the imported rice to arrive in June, leaving poor Filipinos with no choice but to settle for rice with prices ranging from P42 to P45 per kilo in the succeeding months. 

“May tatlong pang buwan magdurusa ang ating mga kababayan sa bigas na kuwarenta pataas ang halaga dahil hindi nagawa ng NFA ang trabaho nila,” said Sen. Bam.

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