NFA urged to open rice outlet in brgys

THE 17th City Council yesterday urged the National Food Authority (NFA) to allow the opening of rice outlets in every barangay in Davao City.

Councilor Bernard Alag, during the privilege hour of the regular session of the City Council, presented this resolution in order to make the NFA rice more accessible to the people.

He said that the price of commercial rice, which averages at P45, is not affordable to the people and the only option is to look for a cheaper option which is the NFA rice.

“Most of our people is relying on the availability of the NFA rice considering that it is affordable and best fits the family’s budget,” he said.

Al-ag also cited the suspicion of the national government that the NFA rice is being hoarded in warehouses where it is mixed with commercial rice and it is being sold as commercial rice.

“NFA outlets here are so limited that is why people have no adequate access to affordable rice and with it many people are suffering from the effects of rice hoarding and implies the manipulation in the market,” Al-ag said.

Vice Mayor Paolo

Duterte, in a press interview, said that NFA outlets already existed before in the city but the problem was on how to sustain those outlets.

“Ang uban na ginahatagan ana kay ang mga barangay officials nya ila lang man na ginapang-hatag sa mga nanginahanglan (Some of it are being given to the barangay officials and they have only been giving it to the needy),” he said.

The resolution was then approved by the City Council. KGL