Naga city: The National Food Authority in Bicol (NFA-5) is calling on local chief executives throughout the region to assist farmers in enhancing the purchasing price of palay (unhusked rice) by participating in the Palay Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units (PALLGU).

According to Philippines News Agency, NFA-5 Assistant Regional Director Julie Llenaresas highlighted that the program enables local government units (LGUs) to provide additional incentives per kilo to the NFA’s palay buying price. “The PALLGU program allows them [local executives] to offer incentives. In the past, some LGUs provided as much as PHP7, while others gave PHP5. This can significantly impact farmers’ income. For instance, if we buy their rice at PHP24 plus an additional PHP5, that would total PHP29, which is a substantial help to them,” Llenaresas stated during a media forum.

Llenaresas explained that an LGU can enter into a memorandum of agreement with the NFA to elevate the buying price of palay in their respective jurisdictions. She also assured that sufficient stocks are available to meet demand, with the agency supplying stocks to other regions to ensure distribution in non-rice producing areas.

Currently, the NFA-5 has 824,111 bags of palay stored in various warehouses, prepared for potential calamities or emergencies and for distribution. In addition, 84,701 bags have been milled and are strategically stored in different warehouses across the Bicol region.

Llenaresas further assured the public that the rice sold under the ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na’ (BBM Na) program is of high quality, undergoing monthly testing to ensure food security and accessibility in the community. “We guarantee that the rice we distribute is of high quality. It goes through laboratory testing, even if it has been stored as unmilled rice for three months, it remains good,” she affirmed.