DA chief assures enough food supply for NCR, other areas under MECQ

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured Tuesday that there is enough food supply for Metro Manila and nearby provinces that were placed back to the stricter modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

“Base sa ating monitoring and analysis of the food supply situation ay mayroon po tayong sapat na pagkain from rice, mayroon ding vegetables and fruits at saka chickens ay sobrang-sobra po, ganoon din ang fisheries,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a Palace press briefing.

Movement of food supply will be the focus of DA’s monitoring in the next two weeks to ensure unimpeded delivery of basic necessities, Dar added.

He then called on local officials to ensure the seamless passage of cargoes as he revealed receiving reports about problems in the transportation of food products from Benguet to Metro Manila.

“Please let us try to help, dapat magtulungan po tayo. Sama-sama po tayo diyan para walang mabulok na mga vegetables na galing Benguet at para makarating po dito sa Metro Manila,” Dar said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday night heeded the plea of the medical community to reimpose strict lockdown measures in Metro Manila to give them time to recuperate from exhaustion due to the continuous surge of COVID-19 cases nationwide.

Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan will be under MECQ  from August 4 to 18.

Under MECQ, public transport and non-essential businesses will be suspended and residents will only be allowed to go out of their houses for the provision of food and medicine and in cases of emergency, as well as for work in permitted industries.

KGA