People buy from a rice retailer at the Pasig public Market in Pasig City on January 16, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The National Food Authority (NFA) on Tuesday said it will sell its rice buffer stock to interested local governments and government-owned and controlled corporations at P33 per kilo under the food security emergency. 

These LGUs and GOCCs can then would sell the NFA rice at a suggested retail price of P35 per kilo, said Roy Untiveros, Acting Department Manager of the NFA Operations Coordination Department.

The Department of Agriculture clarified that the declaration is not because of any shortage.

"Gusto ulit namin linawin na ang deklarasyon ng food security emergency ay dahil lamang sa extraordinary increase sa presyo ng bigas at hindi dahil sa kulang ang supply ng bigas sa bansa," said DA Spokesperson Asec. Arnel de Mesa. 

(We want to clarify that the declaration is only due to the extraordinary increase in rice prices and not because of any shortage.) 

The price means the NFA would have to absorb a loss of P12 to P15 per kilo, or approximately P2 billion pesos. But Agriculture officials defended the move, saying it's necessary to stabilize rice prices. 

Agriculture Assistant Asec. Genevieve Velicaria Guevarra of DA Consumer Affairs said the declaration will be reviewed regularly and will be lifted once the department deems proper.

The Agriculture department on Monday declared a food security emergency on rice due to an “extraordinary” rise in local prices of the staple grain.

Around 300,000 metric tons of rice from the National Food Authority will be released to local government units after the formal declaration.