NFA continues to give aid to evacuees in South

The National Food Authority (NFA) also looks forward to an end to the crisis besetting Maguindanao, Basilan, Lanao, Sulu and other provinces in Mindanao as the number of evacuees continues to grow everyday.

The NFA continues to extend assistance to these evacuees through rice distribution. Since the onset of the conflict, the NFA has distributed a total of 25,905 50-kilogram bags of rice through various government agencies like the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine National Red Cross, local government units and non-government organizations.

In a report to NFA Administrator Edno Joson, NFA regional director Dimnatang Umpa said evacuees in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur now number 22,863 and 15,491 families, respectively. The number of Sulu evacuees was not available as of press time.

The NFA has also released a total of 15,151 bags of rice distributed in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Sulu, and handed out 400 bags containing sugar, canned sardines and coffee to the evacuees.

Joson assures the public that the NFA will continue to take a close watch on traders who may take advantage of the situation in the South, saying that rice stocks will be made available in public markets in the affected provinces.

He said there is no rice shortage in the region. Based on a stock inventory dated May 26, there is a total of 217,818 bags of rice in Western Mindanao; 295,855 in Central Mindanao; 352,971 in Southern Mindanao; and 195,953 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.