PNP seeks to join NFA rice program

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will ask the National Food Authority to supply the PNP service stores system with low-priced NFA rice for distribution to its various service stores in Metro Manila and other police regional and provincial offices across the country.

Deputy Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP deputy chief for administration, said the move was part of the effort to soften the impact of the high prices of rice on police officers.

He has ordered PNP service stores system administrator Jose Antonio Salvacion, a retired police official, to coordinate with the NFA and work out details for a working agreement between the PNP and the food agency.

“This is like hitting two birds with one stone. We help the NFA distribute their low-priced rice, of which it can be assured that the rice go to legitimate end-users – in this case the 125,000 police personnel and their families,” Verzosa said. “At the same time, we help our policemen by making available to them cheap supply of (rice) through the PNP service stores system.”

The PNP service stores system is under the administrative supervision of the Office of the PNP Deputy Chief for Administration.

The PNP service stores sell food, medicine, grocery items and even appliances five to 10 percent lower than their market price.

Verzosa, as executive director of the PNP Program Management Office, has made the PNP service stores profitable by eliminating the middlemen and directly dealing with suppliers and manufacturers.

This has enabled the stores to sell their products at lower prices and still have a decent profit, which is channeled to the PNP Health Service and other programs of the PNP.  – Cecille Suerte Felipe