Marcos inspects NFA warehouse, says rice supply sufficient, onion supply problem being addressed

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. conducted a surprise inspection at a warehouse of the National Food Authority (NFA) in Valenzuela City on Saturday morning to check its supply of rice.

Asked if rice supply is sufficient, Marcos told reporters, "Oo, mukha naman, so far. Nabawasan kasi, talagang binawasan natin 'yung importation, doon natin kinukuha sa production. So okay, I think we'll be alright."

(Yes, it looks like it, so far. We decreased the amount of rice being imported and get our supply from [local] production. So okay, I think we'll be alright.)

LOOK: President @bongbongmarcos conducts a surprise inspection of the NFA Warehouse in Valenzuela.

The President says he wants to ensure a steady supply of P25/kg rice in Kadiwa markets. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/ZXgpZSPITI

— Mav Gonzales (@mavgonzales) December 17, 2022

Marcos however said they have to monitor closely the supply of rice as bad weather may affect production.

"Pero, siyempre, kailangang bantayan nang husto iyan. 'Pag tinamaan na naman tayo ng masamang weather, mararamdaman na naman natin 'yan sa supply ng palay, ng bigas," said the President, who also sits as Agriculture secretary.

(But of course, that needs close monitoring. If we are hit with bad weather, we will feel that in the supply of palay, of rice.)

Marcos said he went to the NFA warehouse on Saturday because he wanted to see where the supply of rice being sold in Kadiwa stores comes from.

"Nandito lang kami sa NFA warehouse kasi sa tanong — may nagtanong noong nasa Quezon City tayo, 'yung supply ng Kadiwa ay baka mapatid, baka ma-ano, magkulang. Tinitignan ko kung saan manggagaling 'yung supply na pinagbibili natin sa mga Kadiwa. So pinuntahan ko muna kung may laman naman 'yung mga warehouse at merong parating pa nga," he told reporters.

(We are here at the NFA warehouse because we were asked in Quezon City recently if the supply of rice in Kadiwa stores is enough. I am checking where the supply of rice being sold in Kadiwa comes from. So I went to the warehouse to check, and indeed there's enough supply, and more rice are coming.)

"This is already the season na naglalabas na ng bigas so tuloy-tuloy na siguro ito para naman matiyak natin na ang Kadiwa ay hindi mauubusan ng commodities na ipagbibili at a good price na P25," he added.

(This is already the season when [harvested] rice is being sold in the market so we think this will be continuous to ensure our Kadiwa stores will not run out of commodities that will be sold at a good price of P25/kilo.)

Marcos visited the Kadiwa ng Pasko in Valenzuela City earlier on Saturday morning. Consumers can buy agricultural products including rice at a lower cost in Kadiwa.

Onions

Regarding the supply of onions, Marcos said the problem is being addressed.

"Ang nangyayari ngayon is that we're finding a way. Ang daming nahahanap ngayon na smuggler na kinukuha namin. As quickly as possible, naghahanap nga kami ng paraan kasi usually 'yan kakasuhan mo pa bago i-auction. By the time i-auction mo 'yan, wala na, sira na 'yan. Kaya sabi ko hanap tayo ng paraan para mailabas kaagad, mailagay sa market lahat 'yan. So 'yun ang pinag-aaralan namin ngayon, he said.

(What is happening now is that we're finding a way. Many smugglers are now being identified. As quickly as possible, we are looking for a way... because usually you have to file a case first before the products are auctioned. By the time of the auction, the products may already be spoiled. So I said let's look for a way to have these [onions] released immediately and sold in the market. So that's what we are looking into.)

"Baka by next week meron na tayong solution," the President added.

(Maybe by next week we will already have a solution.)

Some P3.9 million worth of imported white onions that were allegedly smuggled were confiscated by authorities in Divisoria, Manila. —KG, GMA Integrated News