THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting more than 2,500 retail outlets in Metro Manila by next month to distribute and sell state-subsidized rice at P18.25 and P25 per kg to an initial 400,000 beneficiary-families.

In a report before President Arroyo and the Cabinet, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap disclosed that the National Food Authority (NFA) is targeting to operationalize in Metro Manila 400 rolling stores; 146 Tindahan sa Parokya operated by religious groups; 1,390 Tindahan Natin outlets; 324 Institutionalized Bigasan Ni Gloria sa Palengke (IBGPs) supervised by the NFA; 242 outlets operated by  local government units (LGUs) and 9 NFA stationary stalls, which  will be involved in this propoor rice distribution and selling effort.

From the existing 1,125 outlets, Yap said the DA will add another 1,386 stores and selling points in Metro Manila for cheap NFA rice to help ensure that the affordably priced staple reaches the poor.

Aside from the existing 72 rolling stores, the NFA will deploy additional 328 units by May 31. A total of 31 Tindahan sa Parokya will be complemented by 115 more.

The NFA will also open 500 IBGPs, while LGUs will assist in this effort by putting up 250 rice-selling outlets.

Community-based outlets such as the Tindahan sa Parokya, Tindahan Natin and LGU outlets and rolling stores will get a total allocation of 99 50-kg bags of rice per day that will be distributed and sold to an estimated 212,210 families.

Yap said market-based outlets such as NFA-supervised IBGPs will get 28 bags per day, which are expected to benefit another 140,000 beneficiary-families, while the rest of the selling areas such as NFA outlets, bus and jeepney terminals and MRT and LRT stations will target an estimated 47,790 more families.  

The NFA will also sell higher-quality well-milled rice varieties at P25 per kg to help bring down the cost of commercial rice in the market and help middle-income earners cope with rising food prices.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting more than 2,500 retail outlets in Metro Manila by next month to distribute and sell state-subsidized rice at P18.25 and P25 per kg to an initial 400,000 beneficiary-families.

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THE Philippine air panel is going to ask its counterpart in Japan to open up new service points, an official of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said Wednesday.

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