MANILA—Almost all families of Manila’s estimated population of 1,780,148 (2015) will receive at least three kilograms of rice next week. Mayor Isko Moreno announced in a statement Thursday that 50,000 sacks of rice, which is equivalent to 2.5 million kilos, are set for distribution to the families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The said stocks are part of the 2.1 metric tons of rice imported by the government of the Philippines through the National Food Authority (NFA) last year from Vietnam in accordance with Republic Act 11203 or rice liberalization law. In 2019, NFA purchased at least 33 percent of Vietnam’s 6.3 million metric tons of total rice exports during the year.
During a market round, Mayor Moreno disclosed “we are trying to stock up foodstuffs, particularly rice so we entered a contract with the NFA about a week ago which is going to be delivered to our respective barangays next week.” “If we will give at least three kilos to 571,000 families, that is 1.5 to 1.8 million kilos only, at may buffer stocks pa kami,” Moreno continued. The city likewise has so far distributed food packs to 235,000 families.
Starting this week, the City of Manila has been distributing Php 1,000 cash aid to each 50,000 families of the city’s 896 barangays from the City Amelioration Crisis Assistance Fund (CACAF). This assistance is over and above the Php 275 billion Social Amelioration Program that will be given to eligible families through the Department of Social Welfare and Development
