Rice supply under control

MALACAÑANG has assured that it would prevent a rice shortage in the country and that the rice situation is “under control.”

No “memo-rice.” Import rice if necessary, Pres. Duterte ordered.

*** President Duterte has likewise declared that the resource-rich Benham Rise/Philippine Rise is “ours” and its exploration is now limited to Filipino researchers.

“Off limits” policy on PH Rise will help us rise.

*** President Duterte has given the green light to import rice, as necessary, said Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., chairman of the National Food Authority (NFA) Council.

“The President would leave to the council to decide which mode of procurement is to be pursued in getting this rice from outside,” he added.

*** Evasco said the standby acquisition of 250,000 metric tons of rice to boost the country’s supply is already guaranteed but he will still call the NFA council to decide on additional rice importation. Translation: No shortage, no starvation.

*** Presidential spokesman Harry “Roque quoted Evasco saying that the situation really is under control. There is a standby order for 250,000 metric tons of rice.”

“So, of course, we will not allow our inventory to be depleted,” Roque added

*** Agriculture Sec. Manny Piñol claimed that there is no rice shortage as harvest is adequate.

The problem is that we have an “anomalous food chain” where traders, instead of the farmers dictate the prices of rice sold, Piñol said.

*** Senator Nancy Binay had earlier called on the NFA to address the dwindling supply of affordable rice in the market.

Cheaper rice, please, Binay pleaded.

*** Binay pointed out that ordinary folks are forced to buy expensive rice due to the shortage of NFA rice in the markets.

Translation: Mahal naming bigas dapat hindi mahal.

***

She said the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has reported an increase in the prices of regular and well-milled rice by R1 to R3 per kilo in six regional centers.

Double-check figures before rice prices double.

*** “We still have 3 million metric tons available stock in the market,” said Piñol.

Meanwhile, President Duterte has put a stop to the marine research and other exploration activities by foreign groups in Philippine Rise, previously known as Benham Rise.

Military’s air and naval assets will now chase away any foreign vessels in the area, he ordered.

*** Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol announced after a recent Cabinet meeting that: “President Rody Duterte ordered the cessation of all marine explorations and studies by foreign scientists and directed the Philippine Navy to ‘chase out’ any vessel fishing or conducting researches in the 13-million hectare continental shelf east of Luzon formerly called the Benham Rise.”

An assertion of the country’s ownership of Benham Rise/Philippine Rise.