NFA to pet owners: Don’t use rice as pet food

KALIBO, Aklan, Philippines - The National Food Authority in Aklan has appealed to pet owners in the province not to use NFA rice as feed to their pets, the Philippine Information Agency reported Friday. "One of the ‘tipid (saving) tips’ suggested by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the NFA in the brochure for our Rice Conservation Program is for people to refrain from using rice or palay to feed their chickens, birds, and other pets", PIA quoted Judith Tindog of NFA-Aklan Information as saying. According to the PIA report, Tindog recently learned that a woman wanted to buy NFA rice for her pet dog. She told PIA: "I appealed to the pet owner to buy dog food instead. The NFA rice sold here in the province is for our poor provincemates who are experiencing hardships due to the price increase in commercial rice and other daily commodities, coupled with expenses due to the opening of classes." Tindog said the NFA-Aklan is only selling rice by the kilos and not by bags at 5 kilos per person at P18.25 per kilo. Malacanang has also appealed to the rich not to take advantage of NFA rice. - GMANews.TV