Rice is the popular choice of Carbohydrate source of Filipinos that’s why it is vital to every table of a Filipino family, whether they be rich or poor.
But unfortunately The Philippines is undergoing a real sensationalized problem regarding Rice, not just any rice but NFA [National Food Authority] rice or also known as the rice for the marginalized populace.
What’s the problem? The problem started when NFA rice and rice dealers started to report a shortage of rice ration from different parts of the Philippines. Surprisingly investigators from the authorities found that some individuals such as some rice dealers had been hording multiple rice sacks and been stored in hidden bodega for about 6 months yet generally rice should only be stored not more than 8 months and expires after. Experts said that these horded rice sacks should rather be sold in the market. In return these rice horders packs the NFA rice to a different commercial rice sack so that they could sell it in a higher price.
Yes this rice is quite indispensable to the marginalized populace because it’s really cheap. A kilo of NFA rice costs Php18 compared to regular rice that costs Php30-37 a kilo. As we know Philippines’ majority population are poor that’s why this rice is in fact important. As they say “kahit walang ulam basta may kanin ayos na” [even if there’s no viand as long as there’s rice, its ok]
NFA rice is cheap because these are imported rice by the Philippines from the countries such as Thailand & Vietnam, the government can buy these rice very much cheaper than the rice harvested in the country. And yet the media portrayed and came with the assumption that the country is in shortage of rice while there is actually none.
My opinion about this is that practically this issue is purely business, why? The only problem here is the shortage of NFA rice and the media have generalized the whole populace of the Philippines and the whole totality of the nation to be in shortage of rice. Practically there is no rice shortage if you can buy the other types of rice that are available in the market. Honestly those people who cannot buy other types of rice are the only people who are affected by the shortage.
Business men are really smart aren’t they? Well of course Economics 101 if there is commodity shortage there would be an increase in price, hence higher demand on the certain commodity, in this case the rice. This is the thing that business men want to happen they want to gain bigger profit; they want to create panic among the population so that people will buy more rice than they’re usual purchase THUS high income from their surplus supply, how genius could they more be right?
Can you believe it the price of rice per sack increases a hundred peso per week, yes take note per week mates. How lovely isn’t it? To wrap this issue up honestly the Philippines had become worse in terms of politics, business and morals. Everyone seems to rather mind their own businesses in short people had become more selfish as the time goes by. Let’s just pray for the betterment of the nation.
