President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the National Food Authority (NFA) to proceed with rice importation amid an alleged rice shortage.
Duterte instructed NFA administrator Jason Aquino to disregard the policy-making body of the agency and import rice immediately.
“Sinabi ko na sa kaniya [Aquino], ignore the Rice Council which is mandated by law, go ahead and make the importations,” Duterte said in his speech at Sofitel on Thursday.
Duterte said he has discussed the issue of rice shortage with Aquino and that he had separate meetings with rice traders to have a clearer grasp of the problem at hand.
“And for example, sa traders, nakausap ko si Jason Aquino, actually there was already indications of a shortage. Aquino inilagay ko diyan because I trust him at binulungan niya ako, “Sir, medyo ang ano…,” he added.
The president has ordered the NFA on Thursday, April 5, to ensure there is no shortage of rice in the country and to avoid “an unsettling environment.”
“Ang ayaw ko kasi ‘yung matakot ‘yung tao of a possibility not really on the actual — it’s happening — but you put people on a very unsettling environment na dito magkukulang daw ang bigas na ganun,” he said.
“Sabi ko “sobrahan ninyo.” At itong mga importers ngayon, I said “what’s bugging you?” Sabi ko, “you talk and I will protect you,” he added.
