PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE PRESIDENTIAL Palace on Wednesday backed the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) call to Congress to allow the National Food Authority (NFA) to buy 20% of local rice supply to address the high prices of grain.

“It would be good to give the NFA authority again because it lost its power to import rice,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing on Wednesday.

“Currently, everything the NFA and DA do must go through the LGU (local government unit), as farmers cannot directly address their needs.”

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a statement on Tuesday urged the government to allow the NFA to buy about 20% of local supply to move the needle on rice prices and to influence the market.

“I hope Congress will revisit the Rice Tariffication Act to address this and grant the NFA proper authority,” Ms. Castro said.

The DA in February declared a food security emergency on rice, the latest effort by the government to lower the cost of the staple grain.

This allows the agency to release rice buffer stocks held by the NFA to stabilize prices and ensure that rice, a staple food for millions of Filipinos, remains accessible to consumers. — John Victor D. Ordoñez