Koronadal City (2 December) -- The Joint Provincial Peace and Order and Disaster Coordinating Council (PPOC/PDCC) is urging the National Food Authority (NFA) South Cotabato Provincial Office to inject NFA rice to local public market, particularly, in municipalities with no palay harvest. The request in contained in a resolution passed during the joint meeting, Provincial Agriculture Officer Reynaldo Legaste said. Accordingly, the market injection is needed after the price of rice increased in a matter of three days in the province.

"Our rice produce right now is being sold to Manila and our supply is affected. I believe that NFA has sufficient buffer stocks to sell to the community as prices of commercial rice continue to increase," Legaste said.

Rice supply in the province dwindle after the province experienced erratic weather due to effects of climate change.

Relative to this, Governor Daisy P. Avance Fuentes also appealed to local residents living near riverbanks to help mitigate bad effects of climate change by vacating the area so as to help government agencies implement projects without compromising their safety and eventually prevent tragedies that may occur as the province is experiencing an erratic weather.

"We should be prepared and alert in any eventualities that may happen since we cannot predict what may happen to us. The provincial government through the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) is well prepared and can immediately respond to any calamity but we would like to urge everyone to have preventive measures," Governor Fuentes said. (PIA 12/aca) [top]