The National Food Authority is not in favor of transferring its office in Bacolod City to a property offered by the provincial government in Tabunan, Bago City, its Bacolod manager Gil Ibarra said yesterday.

The NFA warehouse and office should at least be along the road, Ibarra said. The area offered by the provincial government is along the road, however, it is too low so the NFA will probably incur more expenses in developing it, he added. The NFA is asking for another site from the provincial government that, cost-wise, would be easier for the NFA, he said.

He also said the NFA employees are not in favor of the transfer of their office to Bago City because most of them are from Bacolod City and going to Bago would entail additional expense on their part.

The transfer to Bago would also affect the services of NFA because its clients will have to travel farther, he said.

Governor Joseph Marañon said the property along the road in Tabunan, Bago, is the only property the provincial government is offering the NFA.

They can have an office in Bacolod and a bodega in Bago, he said. We can help look for a space in Bacolod for the NFA office, he said.

Meanwhile, Ibarra said NFA Bacolod is expecting the arrival of 75,000 bags of rice in the first week March or at the earliest next week for stocking in preparation for the La Niña.

We want to ensure the food security of the province, he said.

The production of rice of Negros Occidental is not enough to meet consumption, that is why we have to import, he said.

However, with the programs of the provincial government we are gradually improving our rice food security, Ibarra said.*CPG

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