The National Food Authority is replenishing its rice
inventory in Region 6 or Western Visayas to ensure the stability in supply and
to help keep the price of commercial rice within the reach of ordinary
consumers.
Aside from the 72,000 bags of rice, which arrived first week
of this month, NFA administrator Jessup P. Navarro said that an additional
72,000 bags is scheduled for unloading in Iloilo while another 120,000 bags are
being unloaded in Bacolod.
"The continuous rice arrival has put the regional rice
inventory to 620,566 bags," said Navarro.
Navarro added that the NFA's market presence has
substantially contributed in stabilizing the prices of regular and well-milled
commercial rice varieties.
As of July 15, the retail price of regular milled rice was
monitored at P33 per kg for the province of Aklan, P34 per kg for Capiz and
Negros Occidental and P35 for the provinces of Antique and Iloilo.
For the well-milled variety, the regional modal retail price
was monitored at P34.20 per kg and lower by P1.20 per kg for Aklan at P33 per
kg.
With the arrival of the rice shipments to boost the rice
inventory, the agency was able to flood the market with cheap but quality rice
by increasing the retailers' allocation and fielding more rolling stores in
typhoon affected areas. A total of 10 units of rolling stores are now serving
the needs of the communities in Iloilo, six in Aklan and two in Antique,
according to Navarro.
To ensure uninterrupted access to rice, Navarro cited the
release of some 140,138 bags of rice for relief assistance in the region. These
were coursed through the local government units (LGUs), National Disaster
Coordinating Center (NDCC), the government relief agencies including the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine National
Red Cross (PNRC), as well as with the legislators and non-government
organizations.
Navarro also ordered the speedy disposition of damaged rice
stocks in coordination with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Some
200,000 bags of rice were damaged at the NFA's regional warehouse in Jaro,
Iloilo.
He said that the NFA in Iloilo and Aklan have already filed
provisional claims with the GSIS for the damaged stocks and properties.
The GSIS adjuster had already inspected the damaged stocks and properties at
the NFA compound in Jaro, while the NFA provincial office in Aklan had already
segregated about 3,000 bags of damaged rice for inspection of the GSIS. The
regional office, meanwhile, has constructed a temporary perimeter fence to
secure NFA stocks and properties.
