Food crisis eased by local governments in the Philippines

The Philippines Governments and its National Food Authority is making cheap rice available to soften the recent price increase in this staple food in a country of 90 million people.

Local Governments will distribute ‘access cards’ to the poorest citizens and ensure the fair distribution of the rice. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the local governments would be tapped to determine the areas of distribution since they know the situation of residents in their respective areas, Yap said, adding the new mechanism was also meant to prevent hoarding by rice traders. Previously subsidized rice was available in the public markets, but this will change with the new scheme.  

The Mayor of Makati, Mr. Jejomar Binay, a long time ICLEI member in the Philippines said “We must act now, while the situation is still manageable, instead of waiting for matters to get even worse.”

As the world's top rice importer for 2008, the Philippines suffers a serious blow in the global food price hike which has aggravated for a month or so due to concerns of low stockpile and restrictions to food export imposed by the world's major rice producers.

More information

ICLEI South East Asia

Philippines Inquirer.net