DA to Comelec: Exempt NFA rice sale from spending ban

MANILA, Philippines —  With the declaration of a food security emergency in the light of the election spending ban, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. will ask the Commission on Elections to exempt the sale of National Food Authority (NFA) rice stocks to local government units (LGUs).

“We are releasing a letter to the Comelec officially informing them that we have this kind of program and we asked the help of the LGUs (to resell NFA rice). Those who will apply should be given an exemption,” Tiu Laurel said.

Former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor has said the election spending prohibition covers the selling of NFA rice stocks to LGUs and the reselling by mayors to constituents.

He cited Article 261 Paragraph V of the Omnibus Election Code, which provides that 45 days before election day until the election itself, the LGUs cannot release or spend public money for any purpose unless they get a specific exemption or authorization from the Comelec.

After allocating at least 625,600 bags of NFA rice to LGUs, the NFA on Wednesday started releasing rice stocks under the food security emergency, as measures set in place by the government to pull down rice prices have failed

In Department Circular No. 4, Metro Manila gets an allocation of 150,000 bags; Cavite and Rizal, 143,000; Region 4, 47,000; Region 5, 38,600; Region 6, 58,000; Region 7, 50,000 and Region 8, 18,000.

Other allocations include Region 9, 21,000 bags; Region 10, 20,000; Region 9, 21,000; Region 10, 20,000; Region 11, 19,000; Region 13, 36,000; BARMM, 5,000 and Caraga, 20,000.

Metro Manila Council president and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora said he would consult his legal team and election lawyers on the issue.

For his part, Camarines Sur Rep. Lray Villafuerte said he already applied for an exemption before the Comelec.

Under the arrangement between the DA and LGUs, the NFA will sell rice at P33 per kilo and the local executives can resell them at P35 per kilo.

Arnel de Mesa, DA spokesman, said LGUs can request for additional stocks from the NFA.

Meanwhile, the Office of the President has tasked National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque to make a recommendation after farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura wrote a letter to President Marcos asking him to repeal Executive Order 62, which lowered the tariff on imported rice to 15 percent from the previous 35 percent.