MANILA — The National Food Authority (NFA) assured the availability of its rice in regions 1 (Ilocos) and 2 (Cagayan Valley), as well as the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), which weather forecasters identified as areas that will most likely bear the brunt of Typhoon Ompong.
The latest NFA inventory showed rice stocks in these areas totaled 239,781 bags (50 kg. each) as of Wednesday.
The stocks mainly consist of imported rice but also include local rice, the NFA noted.
NFA’s inventory for its warehouses nationwide further showed a total of 2.38 million bags of imported and local rice.
Aside from distributing rice to markets for sale to the public, NFA reported providing its stocks to calamity areas when requested.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development is among the parties requesting NFA rice for calamity victims, NFA noted.
In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin released Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Ompong” was packing maximum sustained winds of 205 km. per hour (kph) near its center and gustiness of up to 255 kph.
PAGASA located ‘Ompong’ at 340 km. east-northeast of Aurora province’s Casiguran municipality as of 4 p.m. Friday, moving northwest at 30 kph.
“Ompong” is expected to make landfall on Saturday morning in northern Luzon’s Cagayan-Isabela area, PAGASA said. (Catherine Teves/PNA)
