Bam Aquino blames NFA mismanagement for Zambo rice crisis

Senator Bam Aquino insisted on Wednesday that the root of the developing rice crisis in Zamboanga City is the gross mismanagement of the National Food Authority (NFA).

In a statement, the senator reiterated his call for the resignation of NFA Administrator Jason Aquino over his alleged failure to curb the rising price of the staple grain in the market.

“Kung hindi tatanggalin sa puwesto si Jason Aquino, sana tamaan siya ng hiya at magbitiw na lang para umayos na ang takbo ng NFA at mabawasan ang nagugutom na pamilya sa bansa,” he said.

Aquino stressed that NFA has yet to fulfill its promise that importation will lower the price of commercial rice in the market, noting that the price of rice has increased for the eighth straight month as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

“Kung hindi nila magawa ang kanilang tungkulin, wala silang karapatang manatili pa sa puwesto ng kahit isang segundo,” said Aquino, who recently filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the “Bawas Presyo Bill” as means to lower the prices of goods in the market.

The measure seeks to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

While Aquino said the Bawas Presyo Bill can help reduce the price of rice, however, he emphasized that the root cause of the rice crisis is the incompetence of NFA.

“Makakatulong ang Bawas Presyo Bill sa pagpapababa ng presyo ng bilihin, pati ang bigas ngunit ang puno’t dulo ng krisis sa bigas ay ang kapalpakan ng NFA. Dapat nang palitan ng Pangulo ang namumuno sa kapalpakan na si NFA administrator,” he said.

Aquino recently filed Senate Resolution 868 with Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan to investigate the rice crisis in Zamboanga City.  /muf