Amid the increasing price of rice in the market, residents of Barangay Mambugan in Antipolo City got a reprieve by grabbing free rice from burst sacks of National Food Authority (NFA) rice on the roadside after the truck carrying it fell on its side along Sumulong Highway on Monday afternoon.
A barangay official, who requested anonymity, told INQUIRER.net that people chanced upon the grains that were scattered near the sidewalk.
“Kinuha lang nila ‘yong nasa kalsada, kanya-kanyang salop sa damit. Hindi naman nila kinuha ‘yong nasa loob ng truck,” he said.
No one was hurt during the incident.
According to the barangay official, the sacks of rice came from the Antipolo town proper and were supposed to be delivered to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility in Marikina City.
BJMP Spokesperson Chief Insp. Xavier Solda confirmed that the truck carried more than 150 sacks of rice for inmates in Marikina.
“Nasa jail naman na. Hindi apektado delivery nila, naantala lang. May truck naman kaagad na pumalit to haul the sacks of rice,” he said.
The barangay official noted that the truck appeared overloaded. He also said the truck lost control as it negotiated the highway’s sharp and downhill curve near the barangay hall and eventually hit an electrical post on the sidewalk. The truck was removed from the area around 3:00 p.m.
“Parang overloaded eh. Pagbaba niya, pabulusok, nawalan ng control,” the barangay official said.
Residents said that particular portion of Sumulong Highway is accident prone. Barangay officials have been advising motorists to be cautious when negotiating that part of Sumulong Hihgway.
Reported rice shortage and soaring price of rice, especially in Zambasulta (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi) region, have been hounding the NFA the past weeks.
But according to President Rodrigo Duterte and Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, there is no rice crisis in the country and that the issue of rice shortage was merely speculation floated by critics of the administration. /kga
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