By Genalyn D. Kabiling
President Duterte is planning to take over the supervision of the National Food Authority and its policy-making body amid government efforts to boost the country’s rice supply.
The President is also planning to designate Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat to oversee the approval of the country’s rice importation needs, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
The President’s latest decision was reached during a dialogue with the country’s rice traders in Malacañang Thursday amid reports of the low rice inventory of the NFA.
“The President expressed his intent to place the National Food Authority under the Office of the President,” Roque said. “The President is considering the approval of rice importation to be centralized under the Office of DA Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, subject to the review of the Office of the Executive Secretary,” he added.
Roque maintained that the NFA Council headed by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. would not be abolished, contrary to earlier reports. “It’s NFA that will be transferred to Office of the President with the NFA Council,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol reported that the President has authorized the abolition of the NFA Council, which includes the country’s some economic managers.
Piñol also claimed that the supervision of the NFA and other agriculture-related agencies would be transferred to the agriculture department.
Prior to the President’s decision, the NFA was among the government agencies involved in food security and anti-poverty efforts placed under the supervision of the Cabinet Secretary.
It was contained in Executive Order No. 1, titled “Reengineering the Office of the President toward Greater Responsiveness to the Attainment of Development Goals,” signed by the President in June 2016.
The NFA, formally known as National Grains Authority, is mandated to ensure national food security and stabilize supply and prices of rice and corn in the country.
