The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) procured a total of 200 metric tons or 4,000 bags of rice (at 50 kilograms per bag) from different Bayanihan Tipon Centers (BTCs) in Panay Island.
Department of Agriculture Western Visayas Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter said that the procurement was made through the Local Food Terminal in San Miguel, Iloilo.
“The KOICA funded project Panay Island Upland Sustainable Rural Development BTCs in Tapaz and Jamindan, Capiz, Lambunao, Iloilo, Patnongon, Antique, and the KOICA Iloilo Rice Processing Complex in Pototan, Iloilo contributed to come up the 4,000 bags of well-milled rice,” Recoter said.
Valued at ₱5 million, the rice will be repacked in six-kilogram packs and will be shipped to Metro Manila as KOICA’s donation to the Department of Social Welfare and Development National Resource Operations Center.
According to Dir. Recoter, majority of the municipalities have more than 100 percent sufficiency level on rice.
Patnongon, Antique is 247 percent sufficient, Jamindan, Capiz – 257 percent, Tapaz, Capiz – 93 percent, Lambunao, Iloilo – 169 percent, Pototan, Iloilo – 334 percent, and San Miguel, Iloilo – 207 percent.
“The two big project beneficiaries of DA funded by KOICA had benefited from the rice procurement of KOICA Philippines’ Emergency Rice Support Project,” she added. (DA-RAFIS 6)
