The National Food Authority in Negros Oriental reassured the public, especially the identified beneficiaries under the Rice Allocation Ledger, of sufficiency in rice supply for poor families.

The current rice stock inventory puts its supply at 51,998 rice bags, which, the NFA said, is enough for the rice needs of the province.  It is also expecting more rice shipments soon, Rolando Lazalita of NFA said.

Majority of the rice stocks are iron-fortified rice for the Food for School program.

The RAL is implemented in the provinces instead of the Family Access Card, which is limited to the National Capital Region.

Food Authority administrator Jessup Navarro said the Family Access Card in NCR and RAL in the provinces are a big help for the low-income group and underprivileged sector.

These get the assurance of optimizing benefits from the rice subsidies and other hunger mitigating programs of the government, Navarro said.

In the provinces, operators of the Tindahan Natin and Bigasan sa Parokya are required to submit their rice allocation ledgers prior to the acceptance of payment of their weekly rice allocation to NFA.

NFA is strictly pursuing the “no rice allocation ledger, no rice allocation” policy to these outlets.

The beneficiaries identified under RAL are validated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, said Lazalita.

Each TN outlet can have a minimum of 250 family beneficiaries.

Records show that there are 445 outlets in Negros Oriental, putting the number of RAL beneficiaries at around 111,000 in the province.

RAL beneficiaries can avail of NFA rice at P18.25 per kilo at the TN and BP outlets. Only family beneficiaries listed in the DSWD-validated RAL shall be served.

NFA rice is also available at the Bigasan sa Palengke outlets at P25 per kilo.  The agency is procuring palay at P19 per kilo clean and dry.*RG

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