President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he wants the National Food Authority (NFA) to return to its original mandate of stabilizing rice prices by buying palay during harvest, maintaining buffer stocks, and selling rice during lean months to reduce imports.
“Binabalik natin ang NFA. Alam nyo ng unang tinayo ang NFA, ang trabaho ng NFA, rice and corn yan eh. Rice and corn, ang trabaho ng NFA, bumibili kapag panahon ng ani para hindi babagsak ang presyo. Para may demand, para ma-maintain ang presyo,” President Marcos told farmers in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.
“Pagka naman tag-araw, pwede naman, magbebenta naman sila para hindi naman tumaas masyado ang presyo ng bigas para sa mga consumers natin,” the President said.
“Nawala ang sistemang yun sa tagal ng panahon.”
The President inspected an NFA warehouse in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, where he informed farmers that the government is exploring ways to establish a floor price for rice to protect their incomes.
President Marcos was assisted by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel and NFA Administrator Larry Lacson during the dialogue with the farmers.
President Marcos met with the farmers and leaders of their cooperatives of San Ildefonso before inspecting the NFA warehouse in Barangay Malipampang located in the town.
Through Presidential Decree No. 4, signed on September 26, 1972, the NFA was established by the President’s father, then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
The NFA’s forerunner, the National Grains Authority (NGA) was originally mandated to promote the integrated growth and development of the grains industry, covering rice, corn, feed grains, and other grains, such as sorghum, monggo, and peanuts.
Through various administrations, the NFA has changed its mission and mandates. President Marcos, however, lamented that NFA has been relegated to importing rice.
“Tapos pinalitan ang trabaho ng NFA naging importer. Sabi ko hindi naman dapat ganun,” he said.
“Kaya‘t binabalik natin sa dating gawi na yun NFA na bumibili, tinitignan yun presyo, para maganda ang presyo sa pagbili sa inyo (farmers) ng palay,” President Marcos said.
On Feb. 14, 2019, the Republic Act No. 11203 (Rice Tariffication Law) was approved. RA 11203 transformed the NFA from a “trading and regulatory agency” to a “buffer stocking agency.” | PND
