NFA suspends mobile procurement in Nueva Ecija

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The National Food Authority (NFA) in Central Luzon has suspended the operation of its mobile procurement teams in Nueva Ecija in the wake of the misclassification of some 32,000 bags of palay.

NFA regional director Amadeo de Guzman said the five teams have stopped operating and their tasks were turned over to the stationary procurement teams.

“Because of the anomalies in the procurement, we deemed it best to suspend the operations of our mobile teams,” he said.

De Guzman said each of the five mobile teams is capable of procuring up to 1,000 bags of palay.

He clarified that the suspension applies only to Nueva Ecija, where the anomaly was discovered.

“Palay procurement by our mobile teams continues in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales,” he said.

The NFA is investigating the misclassification of 32,695 bags of palay in the province.

Two agency officials and 10 personnel have been relieved for classifying the bags of palay dry and clean, when it should have been listed as wet.

The 12 are being investigated by the agency’s four probe teams, including three from the central office.

Initial investigation showed the procurement officers declared the cost at P27.8 million, when the actual cost was only P17.9 million.