MANILA – Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the National Food Authority may be abolished but not just yet.
The Malacañang earlier said that the tariffication of rice may pave the way for the abolition of the agency tasked to stabilize rice prices in the country.
Arroyo said the NFA now has to do its job to address the shortage of affordable rice.
“Maybe eventually. But at this point in time, they have to import,” Arroyo said.
“And make it arrive before October,” she added.
The House of Representatives under her leadership has passed on third and final reading the Rice Tariffication Bill.
“Kapag nagkaroon na ng tariffication, pupuwede nang mag-angkat ng mga bigas ang lahat at lalagyan na lang ng taripa ay mawawalan po talaga ng saysay na ang NFA,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on state-run Radyo Pilipinas.
“So patungo na po tayo sa direksyon na baka mabuwag na nga iyang NFA dahil nakikita natin na iyong mga quota-quota, iyong monopoliya pagdating sa pag-angkat, eh iyan po ay hindi nagbibigay ng solusyon sa ating mga problema pagdating sa kakulangan sa ating bigas,” it added. (GMA News)
