MANILA — More affordable quality rice from Isabela province are now available to consumers after 20 trucks with 14,000 bags were delivered Tuesday to rice retailers in the different parts of Metro Manila to be sold at PHP39 per kilogram as part of the “Tulong sa Bayan” project.
After a send off Monday in Santiago City, the trucks arrived early Tuesday in Metro Manila where they delivered to rice retailers in different markets. Grains retailers from Parañaque, Tondo, Malabon, Caloocan, Marikina, Batasan Hills and Parkway Village in Quezon City, Parañaque, and in Tanza, Cavite received most of the rice deliveries.
Ernesto Subia, president of Isabela Rice Millers Association said this is only an initial delivery as part of the “Tulong sa Bayan” program which is a commitment by private rice traders and retailers to President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
“Nag-commit kami sa presidente (Duterte) na mag-dedeliverkami ng 100,000 bags every month, or as necessary. Hangga’t wala pang stocks ang NFA, ang commitment namin, tuloy-tuloy,” Subia said.
Last month during their meeting in Malacañang, rice trader groups from Isabela, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija each committed to deliver 100,000 bags or a total of 300,000 every month for Metro Manila, to be sold by retailers to consumers at PHP39 per kilo, until such time that NFA will be able to replenish its stocks through importation.
The “Tulong sa Bayan” caravan is a joint initiative of the Office of the President, the Confederation of Grains Retailers Association of the Philippines, Inc., the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations and NFA.
NFA Administrator Jason Aquino lauded the members of Isabela Rice Millers and NFA Region 2 for the timely delivery of rice in Metro Manila.
“This will be a great help to our poor consumers. It will ensure that there is affordable and quality rice in the market. We highly appreciate the initiative of the private traders. We in the NFA is making sure that our NFA rice stock is replenished at the earliest possible time. We are trying our best to have NFA rice back in the market next month,” Aquino said. (NFA PR)
