BUKIDNON Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri took back a controversial order he made on Friday stopping all rice shipments from leaving his province after a regional inter-agency Covid-19 task force brought the matter to the attention of Malacañang.
The regional inter-agency task force did not take lightly. National Economic Development Authority (Neda) director for northern Mindanao Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño said the group, including the Department of Interior and Local Government, held an emergency meeting because of Zubiri’s actions.
“This is the last thing that we wanted during the crisis -- that each local government official will decide according to their emotions,” Carino said.
She said the interagency Covid-19 task force reported Zubiri to the national interagency in Malacañang.
Zubiri subsequently took back the order later in the afternoon. He issued Executive Order no. 18-A after being assured that the demand for rice in Bukidnon would be met by local suppliers.
“I do hereby order the lifting of the implementation of Executive Order no. 18 and renders the same ineffective,” Zubiri said in the new order just hours after he banned all rice shipments from going out from Bukidnon.
Hours earlier, he issued Executive Order 18 prohibiting all rice producers, traders, and suppliers from selling, delivery, and release of rice grains outside of Bukidnon.
Bukidnon is a major rice producer in northern Mindanao, contributing 69,546 metric tons in palay or 51 percent of the palay production in Region 10 in 2017.
Zubiri cited reasons why he ordered to stop the flow of rice grains outside the province on Friday morning.
He said the provincial government tried to purchase 100,000 bags of rice for indigent families during this period of crisis.
The provincial capitol had already purchased 40,000 bags and had offered to buy 60,000 more bags at P1,850 per bag.
But Zubiri said there were no takers from Bukidnon, initially.
“Several rice suppliers and traders were selling their merchandise outside, depleting the supply of the province,” Zubiri said.
Cariño, however, assured the residents of northern Mindanao that the stock of basic commodities could last up to 106 days.
DILG regional director Arnel Agabe cited the directive of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año who called for the unhampered supply of food supply during the crisis.
Agabe said this is the second time Zubiri’s order caught their attention.
A week ago, Agabe said, Zubiri also asked the two sugar manufacturers in Bukidnon, the Bukidnon Sugar Milling Corp., and Crystal Milling Corp. to stop their production to allow its workers to prepare for the emergency. (Froilan Gallardo)
