The National Food Authority Council extended by a month the importation of rice under the minimum access volume scheme.
The NFA Council, where Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. sits as a member, said the deadline on rice import allocation arrivals was extended from Feb. 28, 2017 to March 31, 2017.
It said the council approved the amendment on the 2016 minimum access volume guidelines, pertaining to the deadlines set for rice import arrivals.
The council is the governing body of the NFA by virtue of the Presidential Decree No. 4 in which the powers and functions of the NFA are vested. The council decides as a collegial body and is comprised mostly of ex-officio members.
It is headed by the Cabinet secretary as chairman while the NFA administrator, who is elected by the NFA council from among its ranks, sits as the vice chairman.
The other members of the council are the governor of BSP, chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines, president of Land Bank of the Philippines, Finance secretary, Trade secretary, National Economic and Development Authority director-general and a representative from a farmers’ group.
Under PD No. 4, as amended, one of the inherent powers of the NFA council is to establish rules and regulations governing the importation of rice. The present guidelines, including prior ones, are reflective of such power.
The 2016 guidelines was issued pursuant to the NFA council resolution 825-2016-F dated June 15, 2016.
One of the provisions gives discretionary power to the NFA administrator to approve individual requests for extension arrival of the rice importation.
This specific power is delegated to the NFA administrator by the NFA council for efficiency purposes, but in no way should be interpreted to mean that the NFA council stripped itself of its power to amend the 2016 MAV guidelines, the council said.