Only NFA rice is in shortage
Despite shortage of National Food Authority (NFA) rice, there is no shortage in the supply of rice in the country.
The NFA clarified yesterday that the country still has sufficient supply of commercial rice.
"In general, wala tay rice shortage kay ang nagkuwang NFA rice ra man. Daghan pa man hinoon og commercial rice," said Olma Bayno, information officer of NFA-7.
NFA-7 also belied reports it is but faking the issue of NFA rice shortage.
"Wala gyud intawon mi namakak. Tinuod gyud na nga gamay na lang ang stock sa NFA rice," Bayno said yesterday, even urging skeptics to visit the agency's eight warehouses in Region 7.
Recent inventory places only 107,000 bags in the eight warehouses, which are good for only three days.
Because of the shortage of NFA rice, prices of commercial rice have increased from P1 to P3 per kilo.
Bayno said there is no NFA rice importation, so far, but 325,000 metric tons of commercial rice imported by the private sector will arrive in the country soon.
"Pero ang importasyon sa NFA rice wa pa gyud mi kahibalo kung kanus-a," Bayno said.
Commercial rice is more expensive than NFA rice.
The NFA rice is priced at P27 per kilo (25 percent broken) and P32 per kilo (15 percent to 20 percent broken).
Due to scarcity of NFA rice, NFA-7 has stopped its rice allocation to 1,018 accredited NFA retailers in Cebu since February 2, 2017.
Bayno said the remaining sacks of NFA rice have been reserved for emergencies or disasters.
By order of priority, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) gets the supply for emergencies such as disasters.
In fact, Bayno said, they have stopped allocating rice to DSWD-7 since relief packs are intended for victims of Mayon Volcano in Albay.
CPDRC
With the situation, the Cebu Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) recommended for the provincial government to purchase rice for the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) from other suppliers.
NFA has decided to stop supplying rice to CPDRC because of the shortage.
CPDRC normally request 1,000 sacks per month.
"Wala pa hinoon mi nakadawat sa ilang request for NFA rice allocation but even if mo request pa sila, dili pa gyud mi makahatag kay gamay na lang gyud ang NFA rice sa Region 7," Bayno said.
General services officer Jone Sepe said the province is not limited to NFA rice.
“Sa mga situation nga dili ka-provide ang NFA, wala sab gi-limit nga dili ta makapalit sa uban nga suppliers,” Sepe said.
The CPDRC has already processed its purchase request for commercial rice. Its current supply can last only up to Monday, February 12.
Sepe said the province can ask for exception from Republic Act 9184, the law that requires public bidding as a preferred mode of award because the current situation is emergency in nature.
“Pwede man ta moinvoke kay kani, to save life man ni… disaster situation man ni nga di kakaon… kinahanglan pakan-on man gyud so mo-skip ta sa proseso,” Sepe said.
NOT CITY PROBLEM
At the Cebu City Hall, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will let the national government deal with the rice shortage problem at the Cebu City Jail.
“That's a national government's problem. Not ours. Why should we come to the rescue? Let them solve that problem,” he told reporters.
Last Thursday, Cebu City Jail Warden Renante Rubio admitted that the jail facility is among the institutions affected in the rice supply of National Food Authority-7. Rubio said there are 4,925 inmates inside the facility that will consume at least 30 sacks of rice per day or over 1,080 sacks of rice every month.
Osmeña said he pities the prisoners but history prevents him from giving aid to the city jail.
“You know why we stopped giving assistance to the city jail? Because they pocket the money. When I asked them before, can we audit or we'll do the cooking for you? They didn't like so I cut it off,” he said.
“So now, that's their responsibility. We'll give them rice, they'll keep half of it. There's so much corruption there,” he added.