The Department of Agriculture in the Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) is awaiting the completion of requirements by the provincial government of Negros Oriental for the rollout of the government P20 a kilo rice, an official said on Monday, May 26.

DA-NIR Executive Director Engineer Jose Albert Barrogo told the Philippine News Agency that they cannot move ahead with the rollout unless all the papers from the provincial government have been completed.

“Among the three provinces and one highly urbanized city, so far Bacolod City is the only one that has completed the requirements, and we are working it out with the Food Terminal Inc. regarding the rollout,” Barrogo said.

The Negros provinces are already processing their documents and the memorandum of agreement signing, while Siquijor province has put the rice program on hold because the governor is focusing on the glanders disease cases there, he added.

Barrogo said there is no problem with rice buffer stocks because if the National Food Authority in Negros Oriental does not have enough, the DA-NIR can source more from other provinces. (PNA)