Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday ordered the creation of “Task Force Bantay–Bugas” to help monitor and ensure that the distribution of NFA rice is not sabotaged and sold at commercial rates in Bacolod City.

The Task Force is tasked to identify and monitor supplies and sales of rice by all rice dealers, suppliers, distributors and retailers in the city.

It will also keep tabs on variations of rice prices in coordination with the Local Price Monitoring Council, which was reorganized by the mayor to address concerns over the stability of prices and supply of basic necessities and prime commodities in Bacolod City.

The group is also tasked to help ensure that NFA rice is sold to the public at the price set by the agency and not diverted/rebagged and sold at commercial prices, he said.

It will be composed of the mayor as chairman, the City Agriculturist as vice chairman, with the chairmen of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committees on Agriculture, and Trade, Commerce and Industry as vice co-chairmen.

The members will comprise representatives of the National Food Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, executive assistants for Agriculture and Barangay Affairs, Liga ng mga Barangay president, National Bureau of Investigation, rice dealers/wholesalers, market supervisors, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas and Negros Press Club.

Leonardia said the primary consideration in creating the task force is to monitor the situation because some people are questioning whether there really is a rice shortage or not.

Secretary to the Mayor Goldwyn Nifras said they will monitor the conditions in the city since there are reported shortages of rice, although NFA has been consistent in declaring that there is enough stock for Bacolod and Negros Occidental.

However, they cannot disregard the perception that there may be some unscrupulous individuals who may take advantage of  this condition, he said.  So the task force is tasked to look closely into the matter and at the same time to assist the NFA in the delivery of rice stocks to the different outlets.

Meanwhile, Nifras said the task force met with the NFA, represented by Danilo Dolorfino yesterday afternoon at City Hall and they were assured that there is enough stock of rice from the NFA and the local traders.

He said the price of rice is a bit higher because it depends on the prices offered by the sources from Luzon and Bicol. No one is buying rice in bulk for fear that they might lose if the prices drop suddenly and they don’t want to be suspected of hoarding the commodity, he added.

They formed a monitoring team yesterday that will monitor any possible rice hoarding in the city, Nifras said. It will be headed by the NFA and composed of the City Mayor’s Office and the members of the task force, he said.

The NFA sees the possibility of rebagging NFA rice since it is cheaper and can earn a bigger profit, Nifras said.

There are currently 31 NFA outlets in Bacolod City and these are located in the major markets, the barangays and other outlets operated by retailers, including Parishes and Dioceses, he said. They will add other outlets later if deemed necessary, he added.

They have agreed to facilitate the delivery of NFA rice especially to the markets, in coordination with the market supervisors and will monitor the delivery in the barangays, Nifras said.*CGS

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