CEBU, Philippines – The National Food Authority (NFA) in Region VII assured that as far as the region is concerned, there are no bags of rotten rice stored in any of its warehouses.
NFA Regional Director Danilo Bonabon said that although there were 2,000 bags of rice that were considered as "sweeping" or spillage, these do not go to waste as these were either reconditioned or sold as feeds or for industrial use.
"But never for human consumption," Bonabon said.
President Benigno Aquino, in his state-of-the-nation address, had disclosed of rotting rice in some NFA warehouses in the country while many Filipinos suffer from hunger.
Bonabon assured the stability of rice supply although what are considered "lean months" are already here.
The NFA has a total of 2.5 million bags of rice stocked at their warehouse.
Bonabon said that NFA has unloaded a total of 700,000 bags of rice from Vietnam last week.
"This is part of the inventory build-up for the lean months," Bonabon told The FREEMAN.
He said that lean months starts this month until September. But with the drought due to El Niño phenomenon, the period is most likely to be extended until October.
Bonabon assured the consuming public that there is nothing to worry as there is enough rice supply. (THE FREEMAN)