The National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros Oriental assured on Saturday, September 13, that it has enough rice buffer stocks for the province in case of emergency or disasters.

Emily Diputado, NFA-Negros Oriental OIC branch manager, said in an interview that the special rollout for the P20 per kilo rice program held here has not affected the province’s buffer stocks.

“Currently, we have 10,000 bags [of rice] and that alone is good for seven days,” she said.

She noted that they have a buffer arriving from Cebu, although she did not specify the number of bags.

Diputado said there is no need to worry about depleting buffer stocks as they can readily procure rice from adjacent provinces or areas.

The current buffer stock is stored at the NFA’s warehouse in Barangay Pulantubig in Dumaguete City but there are plans to transport the staple to the newly renovated warehouse in Guihulngan City, north of the capital.

The NFA-Dumaguete issued 150 bags of rice for the special rollout on Saturday during the “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat” at the Negros Oriental State University gymnasium.

The rice was sourced from local farmers from Canlaon City, Ayungon, Bayawan City, and other parts of Negros Oriental, Diputado said. (PNA)