NFA says supply low after rice releases to Marawi siege, typhoon victims

The National Food Authority (NFA) on Sunday admitted that its stock of rice is currently low.

"It's true NFA stocks are low right now not just because of the recent typhoons," NFA spokesperson Becky Olarte said in a statement.

"NFA also released about 140k bags of rice for the Marawi victims," Olarte added.

She said the NFA released a total of 636,666 rice bags to victims of calamities and the Marawi siege from January to Dec. 31, 2017.

Last year, rice assistance in several areas devastated by tropical cyclones Urduja and Vinta were given to affected families.

Olarte, meanwhile, assured the public that the agency has "enough stocks to respond to any need for relief of calamity victims and to distribute through accredited retailers to give consumers alternative source of good quality but low-priced rice."

She said the NFA is set to import 250,000 metric tons of rice to replenish the stocks. —report from Steve Dailisan/Anna Felicia Bajo/ALG, GMA News