(Updated 5:36 p.m.) Amid reports of a possible rice shortage becoming a national security concern, Malacañang reassured the public Tuesday the supply of rice remains stable.

Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the government continues to keep watch over the supply of rice, which he said is a staple food.

"We are keeping a close eye on the supply situation of that commodity)," Coloma said in an interview on dzXL.

Meanwhile, in an interview on Unang Balita on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala belied reports of a looming crisis in rice in the country.


"Ako po'y nagtataka kung bakit ganun ang mga balita. Sa katunayan, napakaganda po ng first-quarter na ani natin. Wala tayong nakikitang problema sa supply ng bigas," Alcala said.

He also said the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) report last February indicating a possible crisis in rice supply may not be accurate at this time.

"Pebrero pa po yung report ng NICA. Maganda po ang ating ani ngayon," he said.

Meanwhile, Coloma said: "Ang rice supply ay dapat bantayan at talagang binabantayan ito ng Department of Agriculture at ng National Food Authority (We should be keeping watch over the supply of rice, and the DA and NFA are on the job)."

But for now, he said the briefings they have from the DA and NFA indicate high productivity in rice.

"In the last DA briefing, they indicated a high productivity in rice-producing areas," he said.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer cited a report by the NICA that rising costs of basic commodities and services in the country and a shrinking rice supply have become a national security concern.

The report said one of the possible flash points being watched by the local intelligence community was the supply and prices of rice worldwide.

Social unrest

Meanwhile, in a statement released Tuesday, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-National Capital Region (Bayan-NCR) warned President Benigno Aquino III that social unrest might "erupt" if rice supply shrinks while its price increases.

"He (Aquino) must brace himself for long lines of hungry people on streets, possible social unrest and outrage for accessible and affordable food and social services," said Bayan-NCR spokesman Paulo Quiza.

He said the Aquino administration must offer long-term and concrete solutions to the alleged rice shortage rather than relying on "patch-up" solutions like rice importation which will supposedly worsen the situation later on.

"It is indeed an irony and insult to the Aquino government to face rice crisis considering that the Philippines is an agricultural country," he said.

Quiza suggested that the government increase its domestic rice production by implementing a genuine agrarian reform program, breaking local rice cartels, putting an end to the conversion of rice and crop farms to non-agricultural uses, leaving the World Trade Organization, and scrapping deals that give land rights to foreigners. — with Kimberly Jane Tan/LBG/RSJ, GMA News