GMA names Yap to NFA post

President Arroyo has formally appointed Arthur Yap as the new administrator of the National Food Authority replacing Anthony Abad who resigned from the post recently.

Yap was president of the Philippine International Trading Corp. prior to his being named to his new post. His appointment papers were signed by President Arroyo last Sept. 24.

Yap, who was present during the weeklong celebration of the NFA anniversary last week, said the measure of NFA’s effectiveness is the availability of affordable rice in major markets. He said the value of services of NFA is measured in terms of it being able to make available the commodity to the consuming public.

He also called for the cooperation of the NFA officers and employees to work out this mandate of availability of affordable rice for the consumers.

Meanwhile, resigned NFA Administrator Anthony Abad was named as Yap’s replacement at PITC.

In a related move, NFA chairman Angelito M. Sarmiento said Yap’s appointment is welcomed by the council as Yap brings with him a good business background learned from their family’s trading and manufacturing activities.

Sarmiento added that Yap is credited for his counter-trade proposals that earned the country some $400 million in potential exports to our country’s rice supplier. It was with Yap at the helm of PITC that rice imports for the Philippines of 870,000 metric tons were negotiated.