Enough rice supply assured

The National Food Authority (NFA) assured Friday there is a reserve of 5,000 sacks of rice to meet the needs of relief agencies and local government units (LGUs) in times of calamities. Ma. Lewina Tolentino, NFA provincial manager said the buffer stock in the agency’s warehouse in the city came from the 20,000 sacks of bags of imported rice shipped to the island earlier. “May available kaming stock sa warehouse for calamities or emergencies tapos sa Coron meron tayong ample stock,” Tolentino said. A town preparing for the possible impact of super typhoon Ompong withdrew 80 sacks. She pointed out that with the current weather condition in the country, they are “open 24/7.” A safe buffer stock in times of calamities is 3,000 sacks. The agency already released 40 sacks each to 55 accredited outlets in the towns of Coron, Busuanga, Cuyo, and Culion. Tolentino said they are expecting the arrival of rice from Thailand on Sunday to augment the rice supply in Palawan. It was supposed to arrive earlier but the vessel that was supposed to ferry to Palawan was prohibited from leaving the port of Batangas due to super typhoon “Ompong.” Ompong will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) possibly on Sunday morning, September 16. If the weather condition becomes better, the vessel will resume the loading within four days and might arrive in the city in the third week of September, Tolentino added.