Palace allays fears of NFA abolition

March 2, 2013 1:12pm

Malacañang on Saturday allayed fears that some three million Filipino palay farmers may suffer if the National Food Authority will be abolished, saying there is no such plan to get rid of the agency, at least for now.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office head Ramon Carandang said that while government wants to streamline the NFA’s operations, it will not abolish it.

“Kailangan natin gawan ng solution. Whether that solution is abolition or not, wala pa tayo sa puntong 'yan," he said on government-run dzRB radio.

However, he said the Palace is aware of suggestions to abolish the NFA, amid the debts it had incurred.

Carandang said that when former President Gloria Arroyo stepped down from office in 2010, the NFA had debts of up to P177 billion.

“Clearly may mali riyan at dapat ayusin at ireporma yan," he said.

For now, he said the Palace’s focus is on reforming the NFA, “and we will think about what has to be done in the long term.”

A report on Manila Standard Today said the Agriculture Department warned Friday that abolishing the NFA may be tantamount to “political suicide” and displace three million Filipino palay farmers.

Assistant Secretary and Philippine Rice Program Coordinator Dante Delima was quoted in the report as saying the NFA plays a very important role and is working hard to achieve the country’s rice self-sufficiency status, “yet other government agencies are trying to ruin it.”

Delima said abolishing the NFA would imperil the country’s goal of attaining rice self-sufficiency.

He added abolishing the NFA would worsen the country’s unemployment rate, noting that there were three farmers for every 10 Filipino workers.

The NFA has the mission of promoting the integrated growth and development of the grains industry covering rice, corn, feed grains and other grains like sorghum, mongo, and peanut.

 Moreover, it is vested with functions aimed at developing the grains post-harvest systems and processes. — LBG, GMA News