President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the Filipino people on Tuesday that the administration is working hard to boost the agricultural sector in the Philippines and increase the local production and supply of the staple food in the country.
In his speech during the 51st anniversary of the National Food Authority (NFA), President Marcos said that the government will not falter in finding solutions to the country’s agricultural issues without hurting the needs of Filipino farmers and retailers.
“The recent months have truly been challenging. However, we continue to find the best solutions to the issues that we face without compromising the needs of our farmers and retailers,” President Marcos said in his speech delivered by Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.
“We continue to relentlessly strive to bolster the agriculture sector to increase our local food production and supply. We also conducted outreach activities and extended food relief assistance to the underprivileged members of our society,” he added.
President Marcos recently issued Executive Order 39, imposing the mandated PhP41.00 price cap on regular milled rice and the mandated PhP45.00 price ceiling on well-milled rice to address the recent surges of rice prices in the market.
The chief executive emphasized that the government also conducted outreach activities and extended food relief assistance to the less fortunate Filipinos and provided PhP15,000 cash assistance to small rice retailers affected by the rice price caps.
Aside from this, President Marcos said that the government is now undertaking aggressive steps against rice smugglers and hoarders to ensure stable prices of basic commodities in the market.
“The government is also undertaking aggressive steps to mitigate matters pertaining to price stability of basic commodities, especially rice, by strengthening our law enforcement activities against smugglers, hoarders, and those who undermine our efforts to ensure food security,” President Marcos said.
The chief executive extended his warmest congratulations and greetings to the officials and employees of the NFA as he lauded the agency’s exceptional services in assuring the stability, affordability, and safety of the staple food supplies over the last five decades.
“I am delighted that in line with the celebration of your 51 years of service, you are launching an array of programs and projects which will definitely boost the delivery of food services for the general public,” President Marcos told the NFA.
“I share with you our high hopes in the success of the SARAI Project—or the Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines Project. Through this, we will be intensifying our efforts in providing smart and sustainable solutions for more productive and proactive farming,” he added.
President Marcos also expressed optimism about the positive impacts that will be carried out by the NFA Modernization Program along with the agency’s signing of a credit line with the Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines, which is “a huge leap” in the tried, tested and trusted partnership.
“This is an affirmation of our shared commitment in realizing our national agenda towards development. May this 51st anniversary celebration reinvigorate the drive to continue fulfilling the NFA’s mandate of maintaining sufficient rice buffer stock sourced from our local farmers,” President Marcos said.
President Marcos also recognized NFA’s efforts in maintaining a buffer stock of rice and palay, especially during times of emergencies and calamities amid all the challenges that grappled the country’s agricultural sector. PND
