Rice Shortage in the Philippines

The government keeps on telling the filipino people that there is no rice shortage. That there is no problem with the current inventory of rice in the country. That it can still feed millions of filipinos for several months. That they are doing something to solve this problem. That they are giving millions of fund to help farmers.

Do we have to believe them? If there is no rice shortage, why is it that a kilo of rice now would cost a consumer as high as P60/kilo. And there are hundreds of poor filipino families staying under the scourge of the heat of summer just to be able to get a kilo or 3 kilos of rice. They have to wait for hours before they can purchase NFA rice. The government shell out fund to solve this situation. They give millions of pesos to the Agriculture department to support farmers through farm inputs and technical support. The government of President MaCaPaGal ARRoyo is too late the hero in confronting this problem. Can this fund generate an automatic supply of rice?It seems that the think tank of the president is not doing their jobs effectively. Maybe they are just busy looking for new sources of "kickbacks". Anyway, they are not feeling this situation. Only poor filipinos. Our government officials can still eat three complete meals a day. The poor filipino would just be contented with a kilo of NFA rice to feed his family. Government official would also say that the shortage is due to the rice cartel and hoarders. This would just imply that they are not doing their jobs. Why let this cartels exists if you know that they are doing illegal acts?

updates:Some facts and causes why there is a rice shortage in the Philippines:

1. Department of Agriculture recieves an average of 2% of annual budget for the past 6 years.

2. NFA failed to purchase at least 10% of harvest every year that would at least influence pricing movements. NFA only purchase a total of 1% every harvest season.The Philippines consumes about 33,000 tons a day. We import as much as 2.2 million MT a year.

3. Rice accounts for 25% of the food expenses of the poorest of the poor which consist 30% of the Filipino population.

4. Corruption. Rice importation is a very good business for some people who are connected with the concerned agencies.

5. Poor support of the government to agricultural development.updates:A 58 year old man from Cagayan de Oro died of heathstroke because of long queues from an NFA rolling store in one of the Public markets in the said province. He started waiting to be served from 9 am to 1 pm. After going home, the man collapsed. He was still brought to the hospital but after a few days he died. According to the doctors it was heathstroke. Its now a common scenario in the public markets to see the long pile of poor filipinos trying to at least get 2 to 3 kilos of rice. This may get worst if the rice shortage in the Philippines will not be addressed by the government.