The National Food Authority (NFA) has announced a new schedule for selling rice at ₱20 per kilo.
Acting NFA Misamis Oriental Branch Manager Kharren Retiza revealed that instead of opening at 8:00 a.m., the agency will now operate from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Retiza clarified that the system will be more organized since only buyers assigned for that day will be accommodated.
Walk-ins or “gate crashers” will no longer be accepted under the new policy.
She also noted that the NFA can only release up to 500 kilos of rice per day, as mandated by their head office.
Consumers who wish to buy rice at ₱20 per kilo must first approach the security personnel to receive a number.
The agency has also appealed to residents who camp outside the facility overnight to follow the new system, as long queues have disrupted nearby businesses.
Reports even surfaced of buyers arriving as early as midnight, bringing their children, and enduring rain and cold weather just to secure rice.
The NFA reiterated that each person is allowed to purchase only up to 10 kilos of rice per month. Retiza added that while the program began in August 2025, it was only this March that consumer demand in the city surged significantly.
