GMA orders measures to keep rice supply steady

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo ordered yesterday the immediate implementation of measures to ensure the steady supply of rice at affordable prices in the country amid the reported worldwide shortage.

In her speech before officials and members of the Liga ng mga Barangay in Malacañang, Mrs. Arroyo said that international news are full of reports of worldwide shortage of rice which is priced as much as $700 per metric ton compared to $200 per MT in 2001.

She said the government has poured billions of pesos for agricultural modernization and other programs to ensure food and rice supply.

“That is why billions of pesos were spent by the NFA (National Food Authority) so that rice sold at the Tindahan Natin (community stores) would be priced at P18.50 per kilo,” she said in Filipino.

She noted that water rates for the poor have been reduced while toll rates at the South Luzon Expressway have been slashed by 10 percent earlier this week to help consumers cope with the rising prices of rice and crude oil in the world market.

She urged barangay officials to help Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Trade Secretary Peter Favila run after rice hoarders “so that the measures at the NFA and the farm-to-market roads all over the country would not go to waste.”

Mrs. Arroyo said some 2,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads in Mindanao and Northern Luzon are being built while 1,000 kilometers are being laid out each in Central Philippines and Luzon.

She said P23 billion was allocated in this year’s P1.227 trillion national budget for agricultural modernization and irrigation projects plus P200 billion from local governments and government-owned and controlled corporations for related infrastructure projects.

These projects include the Sibuco-Siraway-Siocon-Baliguian Road in Zamboanga del Norte; the repair of Maharlika Highway in Samar Island; the construction of the Halsema Highway in the Cordillera region and the connection of the C-5 road to the North Luzon Expressway, the President said.

Meanwhile, an administration official said the government has moved to import 1.8 million MT of rice from Vietnam.

Vietnam, however, has reportedly committed so far only 500,000 MT of rice for the country.

The official said the country consumes, on the average, about 9.5 million MT of rice annually but local production yields only about 8.5 million MT.  – Paolo Romero, Marvin Sy