THE NATIONAL Food Authority (NFA) is planning to increase the price of imported rice in the market. A lot of people don’t have the faintest idea that this nagging rumor poses a great threat to the survival of our poor countrymen.

For all we know, NFA has to import rice to cushion the negative impact of rice shortage caused by global warming and unpredictable climatic condition.

Yet, an official says they will increase the price of NFA rice to protect the local grain retailers.

But for what purpose and what good? My goodness, who ever thought of this idea must have a hollow head we can easily pass an airplane through it. What is somewhat missing in the empty life of this public official is common sense!

Instead of increasing the number of NFA distribution outlets to serve the poor people in far-flung areas, he jumps to protect the unscrupulous rice traders in a manner that smacks of subterfuge!

He should know the poor have already suffered enough due to scarcity of employment in this country. As a matter of fact, there are reports of families drinking only warm water for breakfast to preserve that single meal of lunch for the day.

The government failed to redress the grievances of poor people because officials are busy in political bickering and senseless blame-tossing. They just ignored the three basic needs of man – food, clothing and shelter.

Most of our officials have professional expertise but lack the commitment and conviction to push through the applicable and sustainable programs of the administration to bring the government closer to the people.

As noted, despite the scandal that rocked the administration, the opposition still failed to muster a huge crowd of protesters as a sign of support. Their plan to call out the people to engage in supreme act of civil disobedience was also botched.

The administration discounted the risk of civil disobedience as insignificant in the light of legal provision involved. Besides, the AFP and PNP remained loyal to the president and ready to thwart off any uprising of the threatening groups.

The same is true with the people who sensed it is no time for another messy thing with the administration due to this rice crisis. They must have earned their political maturity after the third people power that rocked the country.

Rice shortage is a hand-over legacy of former Pres. Diosdado Macapagal to his daughter Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The difference is in the name of the agency in-charge of the crisis. Under the late father it was the Rice and Corn Administration (RCA). Today, it is the NFA.

This writer is a living witness on the scarcity of rice by that time. Some people even cried to the brink of insanity when the RCA delivery truck ran out of supply at their very nose when it was about their turn to buy.

Worse, the rich forced their househelps to join the queue of people in panic to buy RCA rice. It was an era where the situations for the rich and the poor are equal. The rich have money but there was no rice to purchase!

But to scorch the crisis on all sides, no government official before suggested to increase the RCA price. Yet under the present rice shortage, an official disclosed plans to increase the NFA price in the market. But what finally is the real dope on this deal?

As noted, the restive groups in this predicament are predominantly poor people from the squatter areas. The problem here does not lie in the substance of law but rather on their interpretation of the law with a boiling stomach. . 

In the light of legal provisions embodied in the anti-terror law, the government, the AFP and the PNP can expect passivity from the loosely organized bands in this country. But don’t make the poor hungry and someday they will run amuck!

Leave a Reply