Personnel from the Municipality of Tabogon collect their NFA rice allocation at the NFA warehouse in Cebu City on Wednesday morning, April 30. | Photo by Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The National Food Authority (NFA) in Region 7 has begun distributing subsidized rice to local government units (LGUs) across Cebu as part of a national initiative aimed at making rice more affordable for qualified consumers.
Trucks from various LGUs started picking up rice from an NFA warehouse in Cebu City in preparation for the official rollout of the program, scheduled for May 1.
The initial distribution, which took place last night, saw around 1,600 sacks of rice delivered to four towns, including Malabuyoc and Tudela.
Ovelito Baritua, Acting Regional Manager for NFA Region 7, confirmed that 27 LGUs in Cebu have been approved to participate in the program. These include cities like Naga, Carcar, Talisay, Toledo, and Bogo, as well as municipalities such as Minglanilla, San Fernando, Argao, Oslob, Samboan, Santander, Tuburan, and Balamban.
In total, 11,200 sacks of rice have been allocated for distribution across Cebu, with specific allocations determined by a memorandum from Food Terminal Incorporated.
To ensure quality, each sack of rice will undergo inspection by NFA verifiers before distribution. Samples will be tested using a grain probe for discoloration and infestation, and any sacks that fail to meet standards will be set aside.
Baritua also reassured the public that the rice being distributed is freshly milled local rice—not older stock.
“Kita’ng mga tawo, Cebuano, particular mangyud ta sa appearance, pero amoa nang ginakaon. Actually, sa tasting quality ana niya, nindot na siya kay local rice unya newly milled,” he said. (We Cebuanos are really particular about appearance, but we eat this ourselves. Actually, in terms of taste, it’s really good because it’s local rice and newly milled.)
Under the program, eligible beneficiaries, particularly those from low-income families, will be able to buy up to 10 kilos of NFA rice per week at the subsidized price of P20 per kilo.
The NFA also expects to receive additional rice deliveries from other regions to further bolster its stock, ensuring the continued availability of subsidized rice throughout Cebu and beyond.