TACLOBAN CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) is constructing a modern warehouse facility in Leyte province to support the national buffer stocking program, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to boost local farmers’ productivity.
The warehouse is located within the NFA Eastern Visayas compound in Alangalang town, with construction expected to be completed within eight months.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held on April 25, Friday, was led by NFA Acting Deputy Administrator John Robert Hermano, together with Regional Manager May Sara Sabarre, and Alangalang Mayor Lovely Yu-Castro, among others.
The government allocated around P550 million for the project, with more than P118 million allotted for the construction of the warehouse and the rest for the purchase of equipment.
Hermano said that once completed, the facility will be a major boost to local rice farmers, addressing the long-standing lack of post-harvest facilities in the province.
The warehouse will have a drying capacity of about 400,000 bags annually and a milling capacity of about 500,000 bags per year.
“Our rice production is high, but our main challenge is the lack of post-harvest facilities, especially dryers… This post-harvest facility addresses the weakest link in our rice production chain. Very few invest in this area, except for the government,” Hermano said.
Hermano added that aside from Alangalang, the NFA is also constructing a similar warehouse in Oras, Eastern Samar, where a groundbreaking was held last month.
He further shared that similar facilities are planned for other areas in the region, including Catbalogan City, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, Laoang, and parts of eastern Leyte, to ensure that all major rice production areas in Eastern Visayas are covered.
With the increase in the volume of palay (unhusked rice) procured by the NFA in the region—from 80,000 bags previously to about 250,000 bags—Hermano emphasized the need for larger and more modern facilities.
“Because of this, we truly need a higher-capacity rice mill. First, to absorb farmers’ deliveries even during rainy days, and second, to improve the quality of our palay and consequently the quality of NFA rice,” he said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
