Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra yesterday said that if there is overpopulation in the country as others claim, it should not be blamed for present rice shortage.

Navarra said the inequality in the distribution of wealth because of misuse of government funds and corruption in the country are the causes of rice shortage.

He pointed out that the Catholic church supports efforts to control population, but through natural means.

No matter how corruption is hidden, it will come out in the end, he said. The day will come when the devil will step on his own tail, he said, referring to corruption in government.

The Catholic church is active in the call for people’s participation in prayer rallies for the truth, the rice crisis, and the increasing rise in the prices of commodities, he said.

These should awaken people to join the protest calls against corruption in government, he said.

Meanwhile, National Food Authority provincial manager, Marianito Bejemino, yesterday said persons reported to be inquiring at Tindahan Natin stores in Escalante about the sale of the NFA rice are not members of their staff.

They may be from another government agency checking on whether the rice distribution program of the NFA is working, he said.

President Gloria Arroyo yesterday said to ensure that rice being sold by the government will reach the poor and will not be diverted by unscrupulous traders, she might order its removal from public markets and instead distribute them directly to depressed communities.

"The NFA rice and the commercial rice are almost the same in quality, so what happens is we have caught some NFA officials conniving with traders and they divert NFA rice supposedly for the poor to the commercial rice, which is the well-off type, you can't tell the difference because they are almost the same…that's why we are toying with the idea of stopping the release of NFA rice through public markets," she said.

"They will be released in the depressed communities because the price differential of the subsidy has become too big, the temptation to divert has become too big as well and that's why we are seeking the help of LGUS  and church-based communities to help with that identification where to put the cheaper rice," Arroyo also said.*

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