NFA rice arrives in Basilan

An official of NFA Basilan inspects a rice dealer at the Isabela City Public Market on 7 August 2018. NFA Basilan

The National Food Authority (NFA) has deployed a mobile store in Malamawi, an island village in Basilan, and released 50 rice bags to five accredited retailers in the Isabela City Public Market to ease rising rice prices in the ARMM province.

The NFA also increased the rice allocation to local residents with each family to be allowed to buy five kilograms of NFA rice at P27 per kilogram to ensure that more residents will be able to avail of the rice.

NFA Officer-in-Charge Marylene Lojera assured the city government of Basilan and the public that NFA rice will be made available as stocks start arriving.

Earlier, 500 bags of rice from NFA Zamboanga, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, were delivered to Basilan intended for calamities victims. The NFA, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture also has intensified its rice monitoring activities in the area to ensure that NFA rice will reach intended beneficiaries.