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AFP still hunting terrorist groups
By J.Lo
ARMED FORCES CHIEF ROMEO BRAWNER JR.
"While we help in these so-called HADR or humanitarian assistance and disaster response, with all core competencies of Armed Forces… we ensure we still watch over security of state… in terms of internal security, we continue our operations against communist terrorists… sometimes it is really saddening because they even stage ambush attacks on our soldiers who help disaster victims or they seize relief goods meant for disaster victims," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said troops being deployed to join humanitarian and relief activities to help residents and localities affected by typhoon are still on lookout for communist terrorist group attacks.
Brawner said AFP has noted rebel groups take advantage of such calamities and post-calamity activities of AFP to stage armed attacks on government forces, and so have made sure to continue their anti-insurgency operations parallel to humanitarian operations conducted by military.
"There were instances when they attacked not only soldiers but policemen, and also civilians…we have calamities, we remain on red alert," he stressed.
As these developed ranking Department of Agriculture (DA) official gave assurance of enough supply of rice despite devastation brought by Typhoon Egay in the country.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez cited projection of office of Undersecretary for policy, planning and regulations Mercedita Sombilla, calculated surplus of rice for at least 67 days at the end of the year.
"Super typhoon Egay happened after harvest...right now, affected standing palay crops are still in early stage," Estoperez said in interview with media, adding wet season harvest would start by late September and run until December.
Targeted palay production for 2023, according to Estoperez, could still be reached if affected farmers will be able to plant again for wet season and "if no other calamity will hit us, like expected El Niño phenomenon."
He stressed that aside from good palay harvest during first six months, rice imports also contributed to country's inventory. Based on data from Bureau of Plant Industry, 3.8 million metric tons (MT) of imported rice already arrived in the country as of June 2023.
Meanwhile, Estoperez also warned spike in retail prices of rice would persist after decision of India to ban its export of staple food.
"Export ban of India will further result in increase in price of rice in world market," he said.
According to Estoperez, based on information from importers, rice in world market increased to $560 per MT from $520 per MT and may go up further.
"Imported rice was already high and Vietnam increased its prices…there was also information other rice importing countries also source their rice from India and ban will further result in spike of rice prices in world market," he added.
Following this, Estoperez said efforts are now being done to improve local palay production to lessen country's dependence on importation.
Estoperez also said government still targets to achieve P20 per kilo of rice promised by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during campaign period in 2022.
"We can still hit P20 per kilo on assumption that we provide all farm inputs needed by our farmers," he said.
According to Estoperez, government's focus is to attain food security and address impact of climate change.
"Problem is climate change, that is why the President said important to address food security and climate change…we can still achieve food security but we cannot prevent movement in retail prices every time there is calamity," he noted.
Based on monitoring of DA, retail prices of local regular milled rice are pegged to as high as P44 per kilo; local well-milled rice, P49 per kilo; local special rice, P60 per kilo; imported well-milled rice, P48 per kilo; imported premium rice, P50 per kilo and imported special rice, P58 per kilo.
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