Almost 400 sacks of NFA rice are left rotting inside a bodega in Mandaue City during the rollout for the ter they were not distributed
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Sugbo Merkado Barato (SMB), the Capitol-ran program intended to provide affordable produce at below market prices, now faces scrutiny.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has ordered a review of the SMB following the discovery of unsold and wasted sacks of rice inside a warehouse in Mandaue City.
The Capitol has also began coordinating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to determine appropriate measures in addressing the problem.
“Sayang gyud. Under the program of food security ni Gov (Baricuatro), di gyud ni acceptable niya nga naay mahitabo ani,” said Aldwen Empaces, assistant provincial administrator.
(It’s a waste. Under the food security program of Gov, something like this is not acceptable.)
Among those to be evaluated for SMB include its processes, particularly in implementing the program. But the province clarified that this does not necessarily mean they will be scrapping it completely.
“Mao to, balikan sad namo ang Mandaue City kay basin naay beneficiary nga wala pa kadawat. So unahon lang sa tong dapat makadawat jud,” Empaces said.
(We will have to revisit Mandaue city and check if there are beneficiaries who are yet to receive (their share of rice.) We will prioritize those who are supposed to receive.)
SMB program
First launched in 2023, the SMB was geared at selling rice at P20 per kilogram to indigent residents. To bring down the costs, the provincial government decided to partly subsidize its purchase from the National Food Authority (NFA).
Recently, the Mandaue City Government discovered that at least 397 sacks of rice from the NFA, provided by the Provincial Government for the SMB Program, have remained unsold.
Mandaue City officially launched its distribution under the program on January 16, 2024. The rice was made available through several selling points, including the City Social Welfare and Services (CSWS) office, Mandaue City Hall, and mobile operations in the barangays.
Under SMB guidelines, only selected beneficiaries with SMB QR cards can avail of the rice, with each limited to a maximum of two kilos per week. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and its local counterparts helped identify these beneficiaries to ensure the program benefits the poorest of the poor.
However, various factors have led to the slow movement of stocks.
Some beneficiaries expressed concerns over the limited quantity allowed per week, saying that two kilos may not be worth the effort or transportation cost. Others lived in remote or mountain areas far from selling locations, discouraging them from availing the rice altogether.
The unsold rice is currently stored at the CSWS facility in Barangay Tawason. Of the 1,079 sacks allocated to Mandaue in 2023, only 700 have been sold so far.
The program’s operations were temporarily suspended ahead of the May 12 elections. / with reports from Mary Rose Sagarino
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