President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reassured Filipino farmers that the Philippines will not resort to rice importation as long as the rice supplies remain sufficient.
In his latest vlog, Marcos Jr. emphasized that the country has an ample rice supply and urged farmers not to worry.
He said the government is actively monitoring rice prices both domestically and internationally.
“Dapat asahan ng ating mga magsasaka na hindi tayo mag-i-import kung sapat ang suplay dito sa Pilipinas. Wag sana kayo mabahala, meron tayong bigas, ang binabantayan lang natin ay ang presyo dito sa Pilipinas at ang presyo sa buong mundo,” said the President.
To address potential challenges caused by disasters and emergencies, Marcos emphasized that the National Food Authority (NFA) is taking steps to maintain an adequate rice buffer stock.
He highlighted that Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, are preparing for the possible impacts of El Niño, leading to simultaneous efforts to secure rice supplies towards the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024.
“Ang nangyayari dito, ang mga Southeast Asian countries, lahat tayo ay naghahanda para sa El Niño. Kaya ang mahirap diyan ay lahat-lahat, sabay-sabay namimili upang paghandaan ang pagdating ng El Niño sa dulo ng 2023 ar sa pagsimula nf 2024,” he added.
Earlier, President Marcos mentioned the possibility of importing rice from India due to the damage caused by Typhoon Egay to the country's rice supply and as a precautionary measure for the looming threat of El Niño.
