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THE
Philippine government is eyeing to maintain the existing
P25 per kilogram price for subsidized rice distributed
by the National Food Authority (NFA) in public markets,
an official of the NFA said.
The
P25-per-kilogram price level is now being implemented in
Metro Manila, but the NFA official, said the plan is to
implement this in 12 highly urbanized cities in the
country.
He said,
however, that NFA rice at P18.25 per kilo will still be
sold in depressed areas and communities.
“There
was no formal proposal submitted to the President, but
the economic managers have been discussing it,” said the
NFA official who requested anonymity.
The NFA
official, said the national government is thinking of
increasing the price of NFA rice sold to the public to
stop the agency from bleeding further.
The food
agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been
singled out as one of the main contributors to the
burgeoning consolidated public- sector debt of the
government.
Earlier,
the NFA has been selling government-subsidized rice at
P18.25 per kilo in all public markets, where practically
any Filipino consumer can avail of it.
To
ensure that cheap rice is sold to consumers who are not
capable of buying commercial rice, the government
decided to rechannel the distribution of cheap rice to
depressed areas and communities.
Public
markets in Metro Manila still carry NFA rice, but they
are now sold at P25 per kilo.
The NFA
has been bleeding due to its mandate of buying rice at
high prices and selling it at cheap rates to the public.
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