Manila: The Philippines is on track to achieving food security, particularly in rice supply, with the country's buffer stock now sufficient for over nine days, the National Food Authority (NFA) said Tuesday.

According to Philippine News Agency, in a press briefing, NFA Administrator Larry Lacson highlighted that the Marcos administration's food security targets are being met, with significant improvements noted in the country's rice reserves. Lacson emphasized that the buffer stock has increased from one day to 9.36 days within less than a year, which he considers a positive indicator of progress.

Lacson further mentioned plans to expand the rice buffer stock to 15 days within the year. This expansion aligns with amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law, which aims to enhance the country's food security framework. Presently, the Philippines holds 358,000 metric tons of rice, or 7.16 million bags, sufficient to sustain the population for 9.36 days in emergencies or supply disruptions.

As of March 31, the NFA reported purchasing 2.2 million bags of palay from farmers across the nation, translating to a total expenditure of PHP2.6 billion. To provide better support to small farmers, the agency has enhanced its fast lane program by increasing the cap from 50 to 70 bags per transaction, facilitating more sales opportunities for sellers.