NFA assures ample rice supply in ashfall, eruption-affected areas

MANILA, Philippines — The National Food Authority (NFA) has assured that there is  enough rice supply in areas affected by ashfall following Taal Volcano ‘s eruption.

In a Facebook post on Monday, NFA Administrator Judy Carol Dansal said that 1,930,000 sacks of rice are available in Southern Luzon,  1,963,000 sacks in Central Luzon and and 197,000 sacks in the National Capital Region.

Dansal added that the rice in these areas are still safe for human consumption.

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The NFA administrator also announced that operation centers in its central and field offices have been activated since Sunday, and are open on a 24-hour basis.

“We have sufficient rice stocks in the regions and provinces affected by the ashfall,” Dansal said.

“There are NFA employees who are on skeletal force in central and field offices and in warehouses, ready to serve the requirement of the (local government units) LGUs, (Department of Social Welfare and Development) DSWD  and other relief agencies should they need rice for the ashfall victims.”

Alert Level 4 is still raised over Taal Volcano by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. This means a hazardous explosion may occur within days or hours.

Due to Taal Volcano’s unrest, more than 7,700 individuals, mostly from Cavite and Batangas, were evacuated to temporary shelters, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Monday.

GSG