NFA 74T bags of imported rice to arrive this week
There will be 74,000 bags of imported rice by the National Food Authority (NFA) that will be arriving within this week.
The imported rice will be distributed as food security stocks and for the food-for-school program.
NFA Iloilo Provincial Dir. Heddy Jardeleza said that they expect the rice from Vietnam to be unloaded at the port of Iloilo within this week for this will be in preparation for the lean months.
Jardeleza said that since the supply of commercial rice is already very low so the NFA Regional Office made this importation to ensure that there will be enough food supply for Western Visayas.
The rice will be distributed to the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan. Negros Occidental will have its separate importation which will be about 525,000 bags for the whole year.
Aside from the food security, the imported rice that will be arriving will be used for the food-for-school program under the anti-poverty thrust of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In Iloilo province, there are eight towns that have been identified as recipients by the Department of Education. These are the towns of Tubungan, San Miguel, New Lucena, Mina, Badiangan, Batad, San Rafael and Bingawan.
Pre-schoolers and Grade I students of the identified schools of the towns will be receiving 1 kilo of rice in exchange for their 1 day of attendance in school. The rice distribution will meet their 35 days food requirement.
Jardeleza hopes that they can distribute the rice first week of February or as soon as they can finish packing it. (PNA)