Amid the ongoing relief operation for the victims affected by Tropical Cyclone Crising and the enhanced southwest monsoon, the National Food Authority (NFA) assures that it has enough stock of rice to last for 12 days, a Palace official said Wednesday.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the NFA assures that it has enough stock to feed the entire population in the country.
"The NFA administration assured (us) that we are secured in terms of buffer stock and the NFA has enough stocks to last for 12 days. The entire Philippines could be fed," she said.
"The rice stocks nationwide did not sustain any damage; the NFA is ready anytime to release stocks to requesting LGUs and relief agencies," she added.
However, the Department of Agriculture (DA) also recorded on Wednesday an estimated losses of P323.15 million in rice, corn, cassava, high value crops, fisheries, livestock and poultry and agricultural infrastructure over the areas of Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Socckskargen.
The data shows that the majority or 65.79 percent of the losses was due to the damage of rice crops amounting to P212.60 million.
It was followed by high value crops which is 25.57 percent worth P82.63 million and corn with 6.85 percent amounting to P22.13 million.
Although ''Crising'' left the Philippine area of responsibility last July 19, the southwest monsoon was continuously affecting parts of the country as it is constantly enhanced by the two low pressure areas at the eastern side of Luzon which recently developed into Tropical Depression ''Dante'' and ''Emong''. Robina Asido/DMS