Talisay to avail of NFA rice loan

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City will avail of the rice loan program of the National Food Authority with the intent of distributing the rice to residents when the need arises, such as when disasters strike.

The city council approved last Tuesday Proposed Resolution No. 2011-03-7 authored by Councilor Semy Cabuenas, chairman on council committee on Social Welfare and Services.

The resolution has authorized Mayor Socrates Fernandez to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the NFA regarding its rice loan program to prepare the city for its relief operations and protocols.

Cabuenas explained that NFA rice can be acquired by a local government unit through credit but only: (1) for relief operations whenever a state of calamity is declared in their locality and (2) for stockpiling in preparation of eventualities/emergencies that may occur at any given time.

Rice has been one of the food items the city always hands out to its residents affected by flood, big waves, and typhoons.

When fire hit sitio Holy Child, barangay Bulacao on Dec 31, the city social office of Felipa Solana distributed 10 kilograms of rice and some kitchen utensils to each of the 13 affected families.

The day of the incident, the city also provided rice and canned goods.

Cabuenas, who is an NFA rice dealer himself, said the agency has since been "cognizant of the needs of the people in time of emergency", and that it has "acceded" to the request of the Local Government Units for a rice loan.

A copy of the MOA has already been forwarded to the city council for scrutiny and that anytime soon the city through Fernandez and a representative of the NFA shall sign it. - THE FREEMAN