Bam Aquino: Ensure affordable NFA rice available to the poor

Sen. Bam Aquino. INQUIRER.NET/CATHY MIRANDA

Senator Bam Aquino on Wednesday commended plans to boost the availability of more affordable rice by selling National Food Authority (NFA) rice in supermarkets but called on the government to make sure that it would be accessible to the poor sector of society.

Aquino said the poor must be prioritized in the distribution of NFA rice since they are already substantially saddled by soaring prices of food and other goods.

“Pero dahil limitado ang NFA rice at napakamahal pa ng commercial rice, mahalaga na matiyak na makikinabang ang pinakamahihirap nating kababayan na isa o dalawang beses na lang ang pagkain ng kanin kada-araw,” Aquino said in a statement on Tuesday.

(Because NFA rice is limited and commercial rice is too expensive, it is important to ensure that our poorest fellowmen, who can only eat one or two times a day, would benefit.)

“Siguraduhin na mayroong murang bigas sa mga pangunahing pinagbibilhan ng mahihirap nating kababayan. Baka maubos ang pinagkakasyang pera sa pamasahe papunta sa mga supermarket,” he also said.

(Make sure there is affordable rice in the markets where our poor countrymen buy their needs. Their meager money might end up being spent on transportation fare going to the supermarket.)

Aquino then pushed for the full implementation of the 10-percent discount on NFA rice under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

According to the senator, the government is mandated to provide poor families 10-percent discount when they purchase NFA rice from accredited retail stores, up to a maximum of 20 kilos per month, under the TRAIN Law. Consuelo Marquez, INQUIRER.net   /kga