The government’s Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na program has helped decongest National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses nationwide as demand for subsidized rice continues to rise, the agency said Monday.
NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said the steady release of aging rice stocks has created much-needed storage space while supporting the government’s PHP20-per-kilo rice initiative.
“Nakapag-free-up tayo ng maraming warehouse sa P20,” Lacson said.
He said demand for cheaper rice has surged as households try to offset rising transportation and fuel costs.
“Sobrang taas ng demand, dahil nga, siyempre, ang mga kababayan natin, kung gusto makatipid kahit paano. Kung nalugi sa pamasahe o nalugi sa gas, bawiin mo lang sa rice,” he said.
The NFA said the movement of aging rice stocks has been accelerated through emergency milling operations linked to the government’s energy emergency response measures.
As of April, about 54,000 metric tons of aging rice had been released to Food Terminal Inc. for distribution under the P20 rice program, while another 40,000 metric tons were turned over to relief agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Officials said the disposal of older stocks also allows the agency to maintain space for fresh palay procurement, supporting local farmers and stabilizing supply in the market.
