Baguio is running out of NFA rice, prompting the city council to pass a resolution reminding said office about a memorandum of agreement that tasks the NFA to provide additional rice supply to the city during emergencies or calamities.
Councilor Benny Bomogao said from the 500 bags per month previously allotted for Baguio, the NFA should increase these to 8,000 bags per month beginning May until the quarantine is lifted.
Baguio and Benguet are under enhanced community quarantine until May 15.
Bomogao said relief operations conducted by several groups including the barangays have been disrupted because of the insufficiency of NFA rice that are included in relief packs.
In a letter to Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan, NFA Benguet Provincial Manager Cecilia Concubierta said that inasmuch as the NFA is mandated to provide a buffer stock, it could not, at present provide the need of other groups as its has prioritize to “relief” agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units.
Concubierta said NFA Region 1, the source of rice for Benguet, has sufficient supply of palay inventories but these could not be processed into rice due to the inability of contracted rice millers’ workers to report for work due to the implementation of the ECQ, which cut down production. – Rimaliza A. Opiña
