PB asks NFA for guidelines in determining fake rice

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) is asking the National Food Authority (NFA) to provide the public with guidelines on how to determine fake rice.

Sponsored by Board Member Thadeo Jovito Ouano, the PB approved a resolution requesting the NFA to furnish the Cebu Provincial Capitol and all its component cities and municipalities of the guidelines.

The request came after the public has recently been hounded by talks that fake rice is being sold in the markets.

Ouano said that in the wake of reports, the NFA, being the concerned government agency, must release guidelines for the public to ensure that people are buying real rice.

"There is a need for National Food Authority (NFA) to inform the general public or give them the knowledge on how to determine if the rice is fake or real," Ouano said.

The NFA, through its national administrator Jason Laureano Aquino, has assured that there is no evidence that fake rice is being sold in the Philippines.

The NFA has warned that those who spread unverified reports can face legal charges.

Report of fake rice had circulated in social media when some beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island complained of unusual smell and taste, which also resulted in loose bowel movement.

But Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said there is no truth to reports that fake rice is being sold in Santa Fe after testing cooked rice taken from samples sold in the town.

Samples have also been sent to the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture for testing. —/JBB (FREEMAN)