00:00Occidental and Oriental Mindoro are increasing rice supply to the Visayas region,
00:05providing thousands of bags to help implement the national government's 20 peso per kilo rice program.
00:12Joshua Sugai from the Philippine Information Agency, Memaropa, tells us more.
00:18To support the national government's 20 peso per kilo rice program,
00:22the provinces of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro are stepping up to supply the Visayas region with thousands of bags of rice.
00:29In Occidental Mindoro, the National Food Authority is preparing to ship 80,000 bags of rice to the Visayas region.
00:36According to NFA branch manager Elie Marugindin,
00:39the rice stocks are currently undergoing fumigation to ensure quality before shipping via Caminawit port.
00:46Meanwhile in Oriental Mindoro, NFA acting branch manager Dennis Mejico confirmed that the province is also ready to send excess stocks to areas facing shortages.
00:55Oriental Mindoro currently holds more than double the required buffer stock and is capable of sustaining its local needs for up to 29 days.
01:03The Philippine Ports Authority in Mindoro has assured that the ports of Rojas and Bolalaco are ready and fully operational to accommodate rice shipments bound for the Visayas.
01:12Agriculture Secretary Francisco Choulaurel Jr. earlier ordered the repositioning of rice stocks from Mindoro to supplement the needs of provinces like Cebu, Negros Island, Samar, and Leyte.
01:26The 20 pesos per kilo rice initiative by the national government is one of their efforts to provide affordable rice to Filipinos
01:33and to support local farmers by freeing up warehouse space for new palay procurement.
01:38With Walter Dukino of PIA Occidental Mindoro, this is Joshua Sugay from PIA Oriental Mindoro, Balitang Pambansa.
