Starting today, January 5, the public can again buy rice at ₱20 per kilo at the National Food Authority Palawan office in Barangay Liwanag, Puerto Princesa City.
This was confirmed by NFA Palawan OIC Branch Manager Julius Lopez in an interview with Palawan News.
Lopez said the ₱20-per-kilo rice sale under the government’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program will resume on Monday and will benefit various sectors in the city and the province, including persons with disability, senior citizens, tricycle drivers, farmers, and others.
“Balik na tayo sa Lunes [January 5] at ‘yun ang sabi ng FTI [Food Terminal Inc.] dahil sila kasi ang may project nun at nagsu-supply lang si NFA for the stocks,” Lopez said.
Each sector-beneficiary may buy up to 10 kilos of rice per purchase, but a household must not exceed 30 kilos per month.
“Kada sector ang mayroong allocation kaya halimbawa sa isang pamilya ay mayroong senior, mayroong PWD, tig-10 kilos ‘yun sila per purchase na maximum of 30 kilos per month. Makikita naman sa aming Facebook page ang requirements na dapat nilang dalhin tulad ng mga ID at iba pa,” he added.
Lopez said farmers are allowed to buy up to 50 kilos per month as a form of support for the sector.
The NFA Palawan office is open to buyers from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lopez also said Palawan has an initial allocation of 2,000 bags of rice for the year, with more to be requested if stocks run low.
“Mayroong bagong authorized ang FTI na 2,000 bags ngayong taon na naka-depende kung gaano kabilis maubos. Ang ginagawa kasi ng FTI representative dito sa Palawan ay kung halimbawa nasa 50% na lang ang stocks, nagre-request na agad sila sa NFA Central Office,” Lopez said.
