ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to investigate allegations that the National Food Authority (NFA) distributed inedible or poor-quality rice to teachers in Nueva Ecija.
Castro said on Sunday, June 11, that some teachers felt insulted by the quality of the rice that they received under the one-time rice assistance program of the government.
Aside from Central Luzon, the congresswoman said that she also received similar complaints from teachers in the Mindoro provinces, Bacolod City, Zamboanga Del Norte, Marinduque, General Santos City, and Iloilo regarding the quality of rice that they received.
"May mga picture pa nga na ipinadala yung ibang teachers na talagang nakikita natin doon yung sinasabi nila na bulok, ibang kulay , nangangamoy doon at saka ibang characteristics na hindi raw makakain," Castro said during DZRH's Isyung Pambayan.
"Yung iba nga daw itinapon, ipinakain na lang daw sa mga alagang hayop," she added.
Castro said that the NFA should also replace the rice given to the teachers.
The lawmaker also asked the House of Representatives to investigate the issuance regarding the distribution of the rice assistance allowance, including the late issuance and the alleged poor quality of rice received by the teachers.
NFA has belied the allegations that teachers in Central Luzon received poor-quality rice.
In a statement on Wednesday, June 7, NFA said that 'all rice issued were found to be edible, in good condition, and safe for human consumption
The agency added that no office in Central Luzon received any formal complaints regarding the distributed rice.
