Capitol, Mandaue argue over spoiled rice

Local

THE Mandaue City government and the Cebu Provincial Government remain in dispute over 397 sacks of unsold National Food Authority (NFA) rice from the Sugbo Merkado Barato (SMB) program, with both sides refusing to take responsibility for their disposal.

Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano said that the city decided to return the remaining rice, stored at its warehouse in Barangay Tawason, because no written contract covered the rice allocation.

“Hopefully, the province will accept it so we can dispose of it properly,” Ouano said.

However, the Capitol refused to accept the return, saying the stocks are no longer fit for use.

Provincial Assistant Administrator Aldwin Empaces said the rice had deteriorated and cited a prior verbal agreement requiring Mandaue City to handle disposal.

“Dili na,” Empaces said when asked if the Province might reconsider.

A joint inspection on August 4 by the City Agriculture Office (CAO) and City Health Office found physical contamination in opened sacks.

They sent samples from unopened sacks to the Department of Agriculture Central Visayas for testing.

Ouano ordered the City to stop selling or distributing the rice, saying his research showed that rice stored for more than a year in a tropical country depends heavily on the storage area’s temperature.

He stressed that he could not risk someone getting sick and the city being blamed, adding that it was better to return the stocks.

The SMB program, launched in 2023 by then-governor Gwendolyn Garcia, aimed to sell subsidized rice and basic goods to low-income families.

Mandaue received 1,099 sacks of NFA rice priced at P20 per kilo for beneficiaries listed in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Listahanan 3 database, with a two-kilo weekly purchase limit per household.

Provincial records show Mandaue received 1,198 sacks of rice worth P1,198,000, with an initial payment of P121,000 and an unpaid balance of about P1,077,000.

The City Treasurer’s Office recorded deposits totaling P108,560 from the sale of 47 sacks in late 2024.

Empaces admitted there was no written contract but maintained that program guidelines required the City to dispose of any unsold rice.

Despite the unresolved issue, City Administrator Lawyer Gonzalo Malig-on, that the City will continue efforts to address the matter and find a fair solution with the Capitol.

“We want to settle this matter with the Capitol in a way that is fair to both parties,” he said.(MyTVCebu)