Governor says Batanes ready for Mangkhut but low on NFA rice

Batanes is prepared for the onslaught of the potential super typhoon that is forecast to hit the province but may not have enough cheap rice from the National Food Authority, Governor Marilou Cayco said on Tuesday.

In an interview on Balitanghali, Cayco said provincial authorities had cleared the landslides caused by tropical depression Neneng.

She said she already met with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in preparation for Typhoon Mangkhut, the weather disturbance which will be named Ompong when it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility later this week.

"Mineeting ko kahapon yung [National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council]. Nagbigay ako ng... kung anong gagawin namin kagaya ng pagtatali ng mga life materials, mga bahay," Cayco said.

She added that they have also already contacted the Philippine Coast Guard.

Relief goods, food items, and evacuation centers are already on standby.

Cayco said the province had a low supply of rice.

"Yung relief goods nakaprepare na po...medyo problema po dito, dahil konti lang yung supply ng NFA rice," Cayco said.

A report by Chino Gaston on Balitanghali said that the NFA had over four million bags of rice in its reserve.

"Yung atin pong stock sa ngayon is mga 4.2 to 4.3 million bags pa. Yung 2.2 kasi sa bodega natin eh. Yun pong parating at saka yun pong naka-sale ngayon na balanse pa ng ating importation mga 2.1 million pa," said NFA spokesman Director Rex Estoperez.

Estoperez said that the NFA was expecting harvest this September.

"Eh may darating naman tayong harvest eh. Expected yung harvest yung sinasabi September, sinasabi ng Department of Agriculture. We are expecting na baka sakaling bumaba yung presyo ng commercial," Estoperez said.

Aside from the expected harvest, the NDA is expecting 250,000 metric tons of imported rice in November. —Jessica Bartolome/NB, GMA News