NFA distributes rice to victims of typhoon Juan

MANILA, Philippines - The National Food Authority has distributed a total of 7,532 bags of rice to government relief agencies and local government units doing relief operations and assisting victims of typhoon Juan.

NFA deputy administrator Pedro S. Hernando, Jr., currently the agency’s officer-in-charge, said out of the total volume issued, 2,981 bags of rice went to Region 2, another 3,922 for Region 1: 500 bags for the National Capital Region and 129 for Oriental Mindoro in Region 4.

NFA Administrator Angelito T. Banayo is currently attending the Asean Senior Official Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where food security issues and agreements are being forged preparatory to the Asean Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam where President Aquino will be attending.

Banayo has been in constant touch with the NFA regional directors regarding the extent of palay and corn destruction brought by typhoon Juan.

The rice for relief assistance were issued to government agencies doing relief operations including the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units (LGUs). The NFA also maintains a 24-hour operation of its Central Office Operation Center (OPCEN) to monitor requests for relief assistance and ensure smooth coordination between NFA warehouses and the agencies withdrawing rice.

Hernando allayed fears of possible rice shortage in regions affected by the typhoon. In Region 1, even after the typhoon, the NFA still has a total of three million bags of food security stock in rice equivalent sufficient for 56 days requirement.

For Region 2 the NFA has one million bags in rice equivalent sufficient for 28 days or almost a month’s supply of food security requirement.

Furthermore, Hernando said that with the NFA intensively buying palay from other agriculture producing areas of the country including the two provinces of Mindoro and the whole of Panay island, the country can still augment its food security inventory.

He said overall, the country’s food security inventory is still high at 51 days. “Whenever necessary, the NFA has the capability to infuse rice and augment the food security requirement of Region 2,” Hernando said.