NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY REGION VIII

About NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY REGION VIII

The National Food Authority was created in 1972 as the National Grains Authority with the mission to foster the integrated growth and development of the grains industry. It absorbed the functions of the Rice and Corn Board and the Rice and Corn Administration. The agency supported the Masagana’99 Program, contributing to rice self-sufficiency and engaging in paddy procurement. From 1977 to 1981, the country was a rice exporting nation. In 1981, Presidential Decree No. 1770 reconstituted the agency into the National Food Authority (NFA), expanding its responsibilities to include non-grains commodities like fruits, vegetables, and fish, leading to the establishment of Kadiwa stores selling basic food and household items. Executive Order No. 1028 in 1985 deregulated NFA’s non-grains marketing activities, leading to the termination of these trading activities and the devolution or closure of Kadiwa Stores. Currently, the National Food Authority ensures the country's food security and the stability of rice supply and price through activities such as paddy procurement from farmers, buffer stocking, processing, and distribution to various outlets. In recent years, the government has explored restructuring, streamlining, or privatizing certain NFA activities in response to globalization and efforts to reduce the national budgetary deficit. Several bills have been filed in Congress to make the NFA more relevant, with different versions consolidated into a single draft by a joint committee.