REMAI ALEJADO
ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU
Online news contributor
The rising cost of commercial rice and other commodities is forcing probinsiyanos to look for the cheap alternative, the NFA rice, sold at P18.25 a kilo.
But how long can the NFA keep up with the daily demands of consumers and buyers is a question, as Gov. Aurora Cerilles is said to be in Manila at present to seek audience with NFA national administrator Jussep Navarro.
Cerilles’ visit there, says the Provincial Press Bureau, is to ask for more rice deliveries to the province to cope with the people’s demand for the staple commodity.
Cerilles, in order to put force in her request, brought with her the two resolutions filed by the League of Municipalities-ZamboSur chapter, appealing for additional allocations to the 26 municipalities of the province.
These two resolutions were passed and approved during LMP’s special meeting, June 10, presided by Dumalinao Mayor Ace William Cerilles, president.
The NFA provincial office has alloted only 200 sacks a month for every town, it was learned, and mayors whined this is inadequate.
Another resolution will be forwarded by Cerilles to the NFA head, which seeks permission for the local government units to procure stocks of NFA rice and have these distributed within their respective villages.
Although acting provincial agriculturist Marilyn Bersales have assured probinsiyanos that there is sufficient supply of NFA rice, still prices of commercial rice started to jack up to between P40-P45 a kilo.
The LMP believes with enough rice deliveries in the municipalities to be priced at P25 a kilo would help stabilize the price of commercial rice.
NFA provincial operation officer Rosalinda Pagente clarifies NFA rice distribution is through the Institutionalized Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke (IBGP), ran by individual rice retailers.
Rolling stores stationed at the poblacion now sells NFA rice at P25 a kilo. But at all Tindahan Natin outlets, NFA rice there is still sold at P18.25 a kilo, available only to the poorest of the poor, as identified by the office of the social welfare and development.
Meanwhile, the outcome of the governor’s meeting with Navarro is yet to be known, as a source from the NFA’s regional office has said they can dispense NFA rice in all ZamboSur towns at 100 sacks a week.
The rising cost of commercial rice and other commodities is forcing probinsiyanos to look for the cheap alternative, the NFA rice, sold at P18.25 a kilo.
But how long can the NFA keep up with the daily demands of consumers and buyers is a question, as Gov. Aurora Cerilles is said to be in Manila at present to seek audience with NFA national administrator Jussep Navarro.
Cerilles’ visit there, says the Provincial Press Bureau, is to ask for more rice deliveries to the province to cope with the people’s demand for the staple commodity.
Cerilles, in order to put force in her request, brought with her the two resolutions filed by the League of Municipalities-ZamboSur chapter, appealing for additional allocations to the 26 municipalities of the province.
These two resolutions were passed and approved during LMP’s special meeting, June 10, presided by Dumalinao Mayor Ace William Cerilles, president.
The NFA provincial office has alloted only 200 sacks a month for every town, it was learned, and mayors whined this is inadequate.
Another resolution will be forwarded by Cerilles to the NFA head, which seeks permission for the local government units to procure stocks of NFA rice and have these distributed within their respective villages.
Although acting provincial agriculturist Marilyn Bersales have assured probinsiyanos that there is sufficient supply of NFA rice, still prices of commercial rice started to jack up to between P40-P45 a kilo.
The LMP believes with enough rice deliveries in the municipalities to be priced at P25 a kilo would help stabilize the price of commercial rice.
NFA provincial operation officer Rosalinda Pagente clarifies NFA rice distribution is through the Institutionalized Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke (IBGP), ran by individual rice retailers.
Rolling stores stationed at the poblacion now sells NFA rice at P25 a kilo. But at all Tindahan Natin outlets, NFA rice there is still sold at P18.25 a kilo, available only to the poorest of the poor, as identified by the office of the social welfare and development.
Meanwhile, the outcome of the governor’s meeting with Navarro is yet to be known, as a source from the NFA’s regional office has said they can dispense NFA rice in all ZamboSur towns at 100 sacks a week.