(PNA photo by Ben Briones)
Malacañang has advised local government units (LGUs) to sell National Food Authority (NFA) rice at P33 per kilogram instead of PHP35 to provide relief to consumers.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro highlighted San Juan City’s initiative of reselling NFA rice to its residents at the original procurement price of P33 per kilogram. Speaking on Radyo Pilipinas’ Prangkahan Na! program, Castro suggested that other LGUs follow San Juan’s example to ensure affordable staple food for their constituents.
“For the benefit of the people, the price should remain at P33. Since LGUs like San Juan already plan to sell it at that price, they should go ahead with it. Selling it at P35 due to additional processing layers makes it more expensive by P2,” Castro stated.
She encouraged LGUs to intensify their efforts in distributing rice at a fair price. “If your mayor is already working hard, double the effort. If you purchase NFA rice at P33 per kilogram, sell it at the same price,” she urged.
Currently, NFA rice is supplied to LGUs at PHP33 per kilogram, with a suggested retail price of P35 per kilogram for consumers. However, San Juan City has been lauded for selling rice at P33 per kilogram, pricing a sack at P1,650.
NFA Administrator Larry Lacson noted that San Juan City has adjusted its distribution strategy by selling rice in smaller portions of five to 10 kilograms per consumer, instead of whole sacks, to ensure that more residents can access the affordable staple.
Castro commended this effort, emphasizing the need to cater to consumers who cannot afford higher-priced rice available in the market. However, she also raised concerns about ensuring that those purchasing from LGUs are genuinely selling it to people in need.
“The issue is that these buyers are not accredited, so how can we guarantee that they will resell the rice to those who truly need it at an affordable price?” she questioned. “LGUs must continue their diligence and step up their efforts to ensure fair distribution.”
The NFA has urged LGUs to speed up the withdrawal of rice stocks to free up storage space. San Juan City has already started its pullout, with Navotas, Cotabato, and Camarines Sur expected to follow suit soon.
