The National Food Authority (NFA) will be selling around 300,000 bags of aging rice to local government units (LGUs) this month, an official said on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

And NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said another 400,000 bags of aging rice will be sold next month--both stocks are part of the 700,000 bags of rice in the agency's storage facilities. 

“This is nationwide stocks. Pero ang location naman niyan  is NCR (National Capital Region) and nearby NCR [areas]," said Lacson, explaining that the move is in line with the Republic Act No. 12078, which amends RA 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), which states that rice stored for more than two months can now be disposed of before further aging.

“Dahil sa amended RTL dito po nakasaad na pagtungtong po ng dalawang buwan at isang araw ng aming bigas ay pwede na pong i-dispose bago pa po mag-age. Binigyan po kami ng kapangyarihan para i-dispose (Because of the amended RTL, it is stated that once our rice reaches two months and one day, it can already be disposed of before it ages further. We have been given the authority to dispose of it),” he explained in a radio interview.

The LGU then will then sell the aging NFA rice to their respective constituents.

Ample buffer stock

Despite the decision to sell to LGUs, Lacson assured the public that the NFA maintains sufficient buffer stocks for calamities and emergencies.

The NFA, he said, continues to process unmilled rice in its NFA-owned rice mills.

“Kasi ang instruction ko po, sa mandato na rin po na binigay ni Secretary Laurel, gigilingin po naming ang lahat ng mga palay na nasa aming bodega. Hindi po tayo kailangan mangamba. Hindi po natin hahayaan iyon na wala tayo for calamity (Because my instruction, based on the mandate given by Secretary Laurel, is to mill all the palay stored in our warehouses. There is no need for us to worry. We will not allow a situation where we are unprepared for calamities),” said Lacson.

“Patuloy pa rin pong nag-wi-withdraw ang DSWD. In fact, we are very closely coordinating with the DSWD para ang lahat ng relief operations ay hindi maantala (The DSWD continues to withdraw. In fact, we are very closely coordinating with the DSWD to ensure that all relief operations are not delayed).”

Meanwhile, Lacson stated that they are still deliberating on the pricing of the aging milled rice to be sold to LGUs.

He also clarified that this is different from the ₱29 per kilo aging rice currently available at Kadiwa centers.