4Ps beneficiaries only 'first priority' in planned return of NFA rice —Dar

Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will only be the "first priority" if ever the state-subsidized NFA rice becomes available again in the market, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Friday.

"First priority lang yung 4ps," Dar told Dobol B TV in an interview. "Kung meron nang enough supply, maidadagdag natin yung ibang pobre natin."

(The 4P beneficiaries are just first priority. If there will be enough supply then we can add the other indigents.)

Dar said this will depend on the subsidy that would be provided by the government to the National Food Authority (NFA).

"Kung tataasan pa natin yung subsidiya ng NFA, then i-include na yung mga pobre," he said. "As we have more budget for NFA, mas marami naman yung ilalabas nila na rice every now and then para sa NFA outlets."

(If the subsidy would be increased, then more poor families will be allowed to avail of NFA rice. As we have more budget for NFA, more rice will be released every now and then to NFA outlets.)

NFA rice has not been available in the market since August 2019.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier said to make rice more affordable, it is looking to make NFA rice available in the market again but only for beneficiaries of 4Ps.

Dar said the plan to bring back NFA rice would not need an amendment to the Rice Tariffication Law.

The law, which allows unlimited importation of rice as long as private sector traders secure a phytosanitary permit and pay a 35-percent tariff for shipments from neighbors in Southeast Asia, took effect in March 2019. —KBK, GMA News