Arroyo: No flag downs of rice trucks from Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday warned law enforcers, soldiers and others against "flagging down" rice delivery trucks, acts which cause increases in the price of rice. In a directive made public during an interview at the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, Arroyo said that this would cover deliveries from Mindoro. However, the President order covers only rice trucks from the Mindoro provinces. Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro produces million kilos of rice annually. In 2007, Occidental Mindoro produced a total of 350,000 metric tons of palay with its rice being distributed in Metro Manila, southern Luzon provinces, Visayan provinces like Iloilo, Cebu, Samar and Bohol. Arroyo said that limiting the number of “flag down" points, is part of the “ensuring proper distribution" phase of the government’s three phased action plans to avoid a rice crisis in the country. The other two are ensuring rice supply and ensuring the enforcement of laws for the protection of the consumers particularly the poor from hoarders, gougers and price bandits. “Dahil importante ang Mindoro sa bigas… no flag down ang mga trucks na galing sa Mindoro. Yan ang ensuring distribution," she said pointing out that Occidental Mindoro is one of the top producers of rice in the country. The President said rice distribution is the most important among the three phases and she wants to ensure that the rice, particularly the government subsidized reaches those who really need it which is the poor. In addition to the “no flag down" policy, Arroyo said that the government would also start pulling out the National Food Authority (NFA) rice that is sold at P18.25 per kilo in the public markets to sell it directly in government-accredited stores or NFA outlets. This, she said, would ensure that only the poor or those in need of the subsidized rice would have access. She said the NFA rice would also be distributed in schools located in the poorest provinces in Metro Manila, which has the highest incidence of hunger, once classes resume in June. Arroyo during the visit also directed Favila to ensure the smooth transport of cereal to other destinations apart from rice. For his part, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita assured that safety measures are in place in the event of a reduction in inspection or check points for rice-carrying delivery trucks to ensure that it would not be taken advantage of by unscrupulous groups that might attempt to include contrabands in the deliveries. He said stiffer penalties will be imposed “against any law enforcers, policemen, or any other men in the uniform service who might be unnecessarily preventing the fast movement of rice from one place to another." Ermita also assured that the distribution of access card to poor families that would enable them to buy the NFA rice would be distributed to the close to 600,000 families from the 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, whether they live in an opposition or administration bailiwick. He said the Departments of Social Welfare (DWSD) and Agriculture (DA) and the NFA has conducted a mapping of the poor families in Metro Manila to ensure that they would really benefit from the government-subsidized rice. - GMANews.TV