Staff rotation seen curbing NFA warehouse irregularities

The National Food Authority (NFA) has underscored the importance of regularly rotating warehouse supervisors to enhance operational efficiency and minimize the risk of irregularities within its facilities.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson cited the potential for long-term employees to develop inappropriate relationships that could lead to misconduct.

“The warehousemen should be rotated regularly to ensure efficient operations and break any rapport that has been built over the years,” Lacson said. “When people get too comfortable in their roles, it can lead to issues. Regular rotation is crucial to maintaining integrity.”

However, Lacson acknowledged that the current system makes this rotation difficult.

The process of transferring accountability from one supervisor to another involves meticulous counting and weighing of each sack of rice in the warehouse, which can be time-consuming and disrupt operations, he explained

“It’s tedious, expensive, and time-consuming. You will stop the operation, for what? One month? It’s almost impossible to rotate them,” Lacson said. “We need to find a faster way to handle this transfer to implement rotations efficiently. Our goal is to support our staff, not to complicate their jobs.”

Despite the challenges, the NFA remains committed to maintaining smooth operations, he said.

In March, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of 139 NFA officials and employees, including then administrator Roderico Bioco, amid investigations into alleged irregularities in rice buffer stock sales to certain traders.

Lacson assured that the agency’s core activities, including palay procurement from local farmers, continue to run smoothly.