The National Food Authority Council (NFAC) said it will investigate the government’s rice importation transactions after NFA officials refused to allow the extension of the deadline for the arrival of rice imported via the minimum access volume (MAV) scheme.
Cabinet Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco Jr., who is also ex-officio chairman of the NFAC, said he will push for the creation of a special committee that will look into the government’s rice imports during the council’s next meeting.
“I will propose the creation of a special committee to investigate officials who have been making a cash cow out of government-led importations,” Evasco said in a statement.
He also said the NFAC has long been requesting the NFA for copies of the terms of reference of all international and domestic cargo handlers. Evasco said the NFA management has yet to provide the council with these documents.
Evasco noted that cargo handling does not go through the regular procurement process prescribed by Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act, as it is considered as supplier’s choice.
“It creates serious doubt on the part of the NFAC when some of the NFA’s executives have been insisting on government-to-government procurement despite lack of recommendation to import from the National Food Security Committee [NFSC],” he said.
The NFSC recommends to the NFAC whenever there is a need to purchase imported rice. The council has the final say on the volume and the timing of the importation.
Despite the lack of recommendation from the NFSC to import rice, Evasco said the NFA informed Hanoi that Manila would purchase rice from Vietnam this month for the food agency’s buffer stock.
“We have received a copy of NFA Administrator Jason Laureano Y. Aquino’s letter to Vietnam embassy, informing the latter that the Philippine government will open a state-to-state importation this month for its buffer-stock. That letter was sent to Vietnam embassy behind the Council’s back,” he said.
Evasco said this could be the reason behind the “blatant refusal” of Aquino to honor and implement the NFAC’s decision to extend rice importation through the MAV scheme by a month or until March 31.
As of press time, Aquino could not be reached for comment. NFA Spokesman Marietta J. Ablaza said the food agency will issue a statement on the allegations made by the NFAC on Tuesday.
The NFA is one of the 12 agencies tasked with resolving food security and poverty issues that are under the administrative supervision of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said expanding the government’s rice procurement program would help stabilize the farm-gate price of the staple and allow farmers to earn more.
“In anticipation of the farmers’ good harvest this summer season, the NFA should procure directly from local farmers to boost its buffer-stock. That is the best way to protect them [farmers]. Assuring our local farmers that they have a steady market for their produce whatever happens,” Neda Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said in a statement.
Image credits: Bloomberg