RICE SUPPLY AMPLE--VP NOLI
April 3, 2008

Advising consumers not to worry, Vice President Noli 'Kabayan' De Castro clarified that there is ample stock of food staple in the country contrary to reports of a supposed rice shortage.

In a price monitoring visit he led at the Commonwealth Market in Quezon City yesterday morning (April 3), together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Peter Favila and Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Salvador Salacop, De Castro said there is no truth that the country is running short of rice since he personally witnessed storage houses with normal supply of the commodity in Northern Luzon when he visited Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela last week.

"I went to Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela last week and I saw our ample supply of rice. So there is really no truth that we are running out of rice," De Castro said.

Thus, De Castro discouraged the public from entertaining such false reports as these only create artificial price increases.

In his report to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during the inspection, De Castro gladly informed the chief executive that there is a normal supply of rice for sale at the Commonwealth Market.

Although prices of commercial rice are relatively high, he told the President that the presence of rolling stores of the National Food Authority (NFA) are offering a cheaper alternative for consumers, especially the poor.

Meanwhile, De Castro warned against rice hoarders and speculators who should be blamed for any unwarranted increase in the price of rice. "The government is serious in going after these unscrupulous traders," he said.

Earlier, De Castro led a raiding team in Balagtas, Bulacan where huge warehouses are allegedly keeping supplies of rice. The raid is only the start of a government drive to finally put an end to these anomalies.

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