Gov’t has enough rice to feed Filipinos for 9.36 days — NFA

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has enough rice buffer stock to support the population for 9.36 days, the National Food Authority (NFA) said on Tuesday, April 15.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said there are currently 358,000 metric tons of rice, which is the equivalent of 7.16 million sacks of rice.  

“Ang ibig pong sabihin niyan, ito po ay magla-last ‘no, ng 9.36 days kaya pong pakainin ang buong Pilipinas ng mahigit siyam na araw,” he said at a press briefing in Malacañang.  

(What that means is it will last for 9.36 days, enough to feed the entire Philippines for more than nine days.)

He also mentioned that the government is “on track” with its food security goals as the Department of Agriculture (DA) continues to work to increase the country’s buffer stock for rice.

Citing the amendment to the Rice Tariffication Law, Lacson said the buffer stock will eventually be raised to 15 days.

“So, from 9.36 ihi-hit natin iyong 15 days hangga’t mayroon po tayong pambili ng palay sa mga magsasaka,” he added. (So, from 9.36, we will extend it to 15 days as long as we have funds to buy rice from the farmers.)

Since the NFA sources its supply from local farmers, Lacson reported that it purchased 2.2 million bags of palay in the first quarter of 2025, from January 1 to March 31, totaling P2.6 billion. 

He said the government allotted P9 billion for buying buffer stocks, but so far, only P2.6 billion has been spent, while some funds from last year remain in use. 

Lacson emphasized the importance of the nine-day buffer stock for food security, citing the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as an example, when it was used to support Filipinos during lockdowns.

The government is looking to reach a 15-day buffer stock before the end of 2025, but this may be “a tall order” as the current budget only covers nine days.

“Itong wet season harvest ma-achieve natin iyan at iyon kasi ang bagong mandato ng RTL sa atin. Although there is a challenge as well dahil ang pondo na ibinigay sa atin ay pang-nine days buffer stock lang,” Lacson said. 

(This wet season harvest, we will achieve that because that's the new mandate of RTL. Although, there is a challenge as well because the