Senator Bam Aquino insisted that the government should do more than give assurance that there’s enough supply of rice in the market, saying it should also quickly address the rising prices of commercial rice and the lack of NFA Rice in the market.

“Hindi sapat ang katiyakan na mayroong supply ng bigas sa merkado. Kailangang kumilos ang pamahalaan para mapababa ang presyo ng commercial rice at tiyaking may supply ng murang NFA Rice na mabibili ang mga pamilyang Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam.

“May mga kababayan tayo na kanin na nga lang ang kinakain, tapos nagmahal pa ang bigas. Saan pa sila pupunta,” added Sen. Bam, insisting that the government should conduct an audit of the 2017 buffer stock to determine what happened to it.

 “Dapat tiyakin ng pamahalaan na natutupad ang itinakdang 15-day buffer stock ng murang bigas upang matiyak na mayroong mabibiling abot-kayang bigas ang ating mga kababayan, lalo na ang mahihirap,” Sen. Bam said.

During a Senate hearing on the rice issue, National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Jason Aquino admitted that the agency has failed to comply with the 15-day buffer stock policy for almost one year, prompting Sen. Bam to call for his resignation.

“Hinahayaan lang ng NFA na lumaki ang problema na dulot ng kanilang kapalpakan. Dapat lang na palitan na ang NFA administrator at magtakda ng bagong pinuno na may kakayahang solusyunan ito,” Sen. Bam said.

On Monday, Sen. Bam renewed his call for the NFA administrator’s resignation following reports that the NFA’s rice reserve was already depleted.

Sen. Bam said situation has forced Filipino families to spend more for rice as they have no other option but to buy costly commercial rice.

 “Ang 35 pesos per kilo ng bigas noon, 45 pesos na ngayon. Limandaang piso ang dagdag nito sa gastusin ng pamilyang Pilipino kada buwan kung isang kilong bigas ang kanilang nakokonsumo bawat araw. Nangyari ito dahil sa kapabayaan ng NFA sa kanilang tungkulin,” said Sen. Bam.