NFA-7 urges LGUs to get on-credit rice for emergency

By Hazel F. Gloria

Saturday 21st of July 2012

CEBU CITY, July 21 (PIA) -- The National Food Authority (NFA-7) has urged local government units (LGUs) to avail themselves of the on-credit rice program for emergency situations such as disasters or calamities.

During the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) Forum, Nestor Rey Alcoseba,NFA-7 provincial manager, said the local government units (LGUs) in Cebu will sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NFA-7 to get rice on credit.

Alcoseba said this is part of the Rice Loan Program of NFA to help the LGUs for immediate relief operations and for buffer stocking in preparation of emergencies that may occur at any given time especially now that it’s typhoon season.

The request for rice by the LGUs will be subject to approval upon submission of the requirements as stipulated in the MOA, which will be renewable every year, he added.

To avail of the program, the Sanggguniang Bayan must approve a resolution authorizing the local government executive to enter a MOA with NFA and appropriating a certain portion of the calamity fund.

Alcoseba said, the LGU could withdraw the approved quantity of stocks within 15 working days from the NFA provincial office. NFA allotted 1,000 bags of rice per year per municipality but they will only release the number of bags depending on the request.

Before, there were 20 LGUs that signed with NFA-7 but sad to say, some did not renew, it is because of the one-year term contract, he added. With this situation, they will propose to their head of office to extend the contract until the end of the term of a local chief executive, which is three years.

To date, only five municipalities renewed their MOA with NFA-7, namely, Asturias, Badian, Bogo, Dumanjug, and Cebu province.
Once again, NFA-7 is calling all LGUs to enter into a MOA on rice credit program as part of their preparations, in case calamities occur in their areas. They will strengthen their campaign to encourage many LGUs to avail of the said program. (RMN/HFG-PIA7)

ey will strengthen their campaign to encourage many LGUs to avail of the said program.(PIA-7/HFG)