ZAMBOANGA CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) here has renewed its assurance to the people of the city and the region of steady and available supply of government rice despite of the expected “El Niño phenomenon” to hit most parts of the country in the coming days.

NFA Zamboanga City Manager Gaudencio “Boy” Nuega Jr. said the food agency in this city has enough supply of government rice to feed the people here and the region in the coming days.

Adding that with the recent arrival of 120,000 bags of Vietnam rice from Thailand, the city is very much secured of food even if the El Niño phenomenon hits the region anytime.

“Allow me to assure the people of the city, that we have enough rice even if the region will be hit by the phenomenon,” Nuega said.

NFA Assistant Regional Director Crestituto C. Mangaoang also affirmed with the observation of Nuega saying that most of their warehouses in the region have enough supply of palay and ready for milling.

Mangaoang said their stock inventory could even last until 30 days at a regular rate of distribution to local markets in the region.

Nuega said that with the allotted 1.1 million bags of rice for this city this year, there is no reason for the price of rice to increase due to the phenomenon.

“We have enough supply of rice and I assure you that the price of rice will even drop due to the 1.1 million bags allocation we have for this year for the city alone,” Nuega said.

He said the food requirement for the city remained at 6,000 sacks a day and NFA is infusing 30 percent of the city’s consumption or 1,800 bags daily.

He also dismissed speculations that rice traders in this city might create an artificial shortage of rice supply here that could lead to a sudden increase in the price of the commodity sold at public markets.