Rice Loan Program

The National Food Authority (NFA) has offered the Local Government Unit of General Santos a Rice Loan Program for relief operations and in preparation of disaster. Last March 19, 2012 the Committee on Food & Agriculture chaired by Hon. Eduardo D. Leyson IV headed the committee hearing held at the Learning Resource Center, SP Building, this City.

The committee discussed the proposed MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA) TO BE ENTERED INTO BY AND BETWEEN THE NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY (NFA) AND THE CITY GOVERNMENT OF GENERAL SANTOS CITY IN REGARD TO THE PURCHASE OF RICE ON CREDIT FOR RELIEF OPERATIONS AND FOR STOCKPILING IN PREPARATION OF EVENTUALITIES/EMERGENCIES.

During the hearing, Mr. Dionisio B. Hectin, Jr. of the NFA said that with this MOA the rate per kilo of rice is P27.00 but the city could have an option which is through direct purchase with a lower price of P25.00. The committee also learned that there are 157,000 sacks of rice at the warehouse that may last until October 2012.

Rice purchased on credit offered to LGU of GenSan are only for the following purposes:

1. for relief operations whenever a state of calamity is declared in the locality
2. for stockpiling in preparation of eventualities/emergencies that may occur at any given time.

The government requested NFA through this MOA to allow them to purchase rice on credit in order to restore, rehabilitate, reconstruct the damage caused by the disaster to the affected families and infrastructures.

With no more further questions during the said hearing, the chairperson, Hon. Eduardo D. Leyson IV approved the proposed MOA on committee level and manifested that the MOA be scheduled for urgency on the next regular session.