Teachers in some areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) and CALABARZON are still waiting for the one-time rice assistance promised by the government under Administrative Order (AO) No. 2, s. 2022. The order, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in December 2022, guaranteed 25 kilograms of rice for government employees to help mitigate the rising cost of living.

Magdadalawang taon na pero marami pa ring mga lugar ang hindi pa nabibigyan ng kani-kanilang bigas, kahit dito sa Metro Manila. Siguro naman, kailangang maipaliwanag ito ng NFA, said Benjo Basas, a Caloocan City teacher and the groups national chairperson.

The National Food Authority (NFA) was tasked to facilitate the distribution of said incentive, but it took the agency six months to implement the order. Reports of poor rice quality described as rotten, bukbok-infested, or foul-smelling have also surfaced from some of the teachers who received their allocations in mid-2023.

Dahil sa mga ulat na iyon, inakala naming baka naman nag-ingat na ang NFA at nais nilang tiyakin na magandang klaseng bigas naman ang ipamamahagi sa mga teacher. Kaya naman inunawa namin na posibleng magkaroon uli ng mga delay. Pero hindi namin inakalang aabot pa ng halos dalawang taon, Basas added.

Until this November, many teachers, particularly in the cities of Caloocan, Parañaque, and San Juan in NCR, as well as Rizal, Antipolo City, and Cavite in CALABARZON, remain without their rice assistance.

The group has continually brought the matter to the NFA’s attention, first in October 2023 when Basas wrote a letter to then Administrator Roderico Bioco, but his office did not respond. Last November 15, the TDC again made a follow-up, this time with the new NFA Administrator, Dr. Larry Lacson, and reiterated its plea.

Dahil malapit nang magsara ang taon, abay hindi naman din siguro maganda kung paabutin pa ng NFA ng 2025 bago ito ma-deliver. Lalo na’t bago na ang namumuno sa ahensiya. Kaya inaasahan namin na sa pagkakataong ito ay tutugon na sila, Basas said.

The effort this time yielded results. Some NFA field officials, according to Basas, called him up and assured that their respective areas are working to resolve the issue and cited rice shortages in key provinces and the legal challenges involving some of its officials earlier this year as reasons for the delay. Basas acknowledged the NFA’s effort to reach out but emphasized that the response should come from the head office, not field offices, as the issue involves several regions.

Hindi naman ito problema lang sa isang distrito o lungsod, kaya hindi puwedeng hiwa-hiwalay ang pagtugon ng NFA. Ang kailangan lamang naman natin ay isang maayos na paliwanag galing sa kanilang head office, kaya nga tayo ay sumulat sa mismong administrator, sa pinakamatataas, Basas emphasized.

Recently, in the first two weeks of December, teachers in San Juan and Taguig cities received their rice allocations, followed by Bacoor City. However, allocations for other areas like Parañaque City, Caloocan City, Antipolo City, Rizal and the rest of Cavite remain unresolved.

Totoong maliit na halaga lamang ito, pero ito ay ipinangako ng pangulo at binigyan na ng alokasyon noon pang 2022. Kung bakit hindi naipamahagi, marahil mayroong pagpapabaya o kung hindi man ay pambabalewala, Basas ended.

Basas said that his group is anticipating a meeting with NFA officials early this week to tackle the issue. #

Reference:
Benjo Basas, TDC National Chairperson
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