President Rodrigo Duterte has formally transferred the National Food Authority (NFA) under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture.

Executive Order No. 62, which was signed on September 17, provides the "supervision" over NFA, along with the Philippine Coconut Authority, and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, would be transferred to the DA.

Prior to the EO, Duterte, in 2016, placed the NFA under the Office of the Cabinet Secretary headed by Leoncio Evasco Jr.

During the Aquino administration, from the DA, the NFA was transferred under the Office of the President.

With the return of NFA to the DA, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol will act as the chairmam of NFA Council.

Duterte brought the NFA back to DA after the disagreement between Evasco and former NFA Administrator Jason Aquino on the importation of rice.

Evasco did not see the need to import rice, resulting in the shortage of government-subsidized rice in the market early this year.

Aquino, on the other hand, was forced to quit after prices of rice in some areas in Mindanao significantly increased. Celerina Monte/DMS