Cebu Province to import Vietnam rice for ECQ relief

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government plans to import rice supply from Vietnam to use in the relief assistance during the enhanced community quarantine.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the province is looking to resort to importation since the rice supply of the National Food Authority (NFA) is already depleting.

“Already, duna tay supplier nacontact alang sa pagpalit. This is imported na kay naglisod na ang NFA ug ang presyo is less that P2,000,” Garcia said.

(We have already contacted a supplier. This will already be imported because NFA is already having a hard time but the price per sack is less that P2,000).

Garcia said that the procurement of the rice supply will be through the legislative assistance fund of each of the Provincial Board’s 17 board members.

“Matag board member, lakip na mga ex-officio, nigahin og sa ilang Legislative Assistance Fund (LAF). Nihangyo sila nga part of it, magamit alang sa pagpalit og bugas aron ila usab maapud-apod sa ilang respective districts,” Garcia said.

(Each board member, including the ex-officio, allocated their Legislative Assistance Fund. They asked that part of it will be used in buying rice so they can help their respective districts.)

Each board member allocated P4 million out of their total P10 million LAF for 2020 for the procurement of rice supplies.

Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that starting Thursday, April 2, the local government units may claim their financial subsidy from the province, which will be used in buying relief goods for their constituents while the province is placed under the state of ECQ.

Garcia earlier announced that each LGU will receive subsidies from the provincial government based on their population and income classification.

First to third class cities, which Garcia referred to as “richer LGUs,” will receive an assistance equivalent to P50 per capita while fourth to sixth class cities as well as first class towns will receive an equivalent of P100 per capita.

Second and third class towns will receive P150 per capita while fourth and fifth income class LGUs will get an equivalent of P200 assistance per person. /bmjo