THE three committees of the House of Representatives on Monday jointly approved a consolidated measure strengthening the National Food Authority (NFA).
Party-list Rep. Agapito Guanlao of Butil, chairman of the House Committee on Food Security, said that members of his committee, House Committee of Agriculture and Food; and House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization unanimously passed the National Food Authority Act of 2014.
Guanlao said the committee report for the proposed law is now being prepared to be presented in the plenary in the coming months.
Under the bill, the NFA will be tasked to maintain an adequate and continuous supply, at reasonable prices, of staple food grains in the country. The NFA will be attached to the Office of the President and cannot be abolished without the approval of Congress.
The bill stipulates that the NFA will have a total authorized capitalization initially in the form of existing assets amounting to P20 billion, higher than the P5 billion indicated in NFA’s current charter which was amended in 1981.
It also calls for the creation of a Congressional Oversight Committee on the National Food Authority, which will be composed of the chairmen of Committee on Agriculture and Food of both Houses, and Special Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization of the both Houses.
The bill said the oversight committee will submit periodic reports on its findings and make recommendations on actions to be taken by Congress and the appropriate department. An initial amount of P10 million is appropriated for the committee.
The proposed measure also provides a penalty of five to 15 years imprisonment and a fine of P50,000 to P500,000 or both at the discretion of the Court against hoarding and profiteering and diversion of food grains.
Among the less serious offenses under the measure include connivance in the concealment of a stock shortage in a food grains warehouse; knowingly submitting any report to the NFA containing false information or data; and misrepresentation in connection with any application for license to engage in food grains business.
Violators will face a penalty of six months to four years imprisonment and a fine ranging from P30,000 to P150,000, or both at the discretion of the Court.
For light offenses such as non compliance with rules, regulations, decisions, orders, circulars or directive agency will be punished by imprisonment not less than three months, or a fine not less than P15,000 nor not more than P30,000 or both.