“Inapprobaram tayo daytoy nga MOA ta makatulong kadagiti kakailyan tayo daytoy” – BM Amla, Kalinga Committee on Agriculture Chairman

Tabuk City, Kalinga — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Kalinga Committee on Agriculture unanimously approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on November 13, 2025, allowing the Provincial Government of Kalinga (PLGU) to directly procure cheaper rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) for immediate relief distribution.

This swift legislative action is intended to support the PLGU’s relief efforts following the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Uwan, which severely impacted the province last week.

The MOA was fast-tracked just two days after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, led by Vice Governor Dave Odiem, declared the province under a state of calamity on November 11. The declaration, which authorized the use of the Quick Response Fund (QRF), was made upon the request of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), headed by Governor James Edduba, due to widespread damage caused by the typhoon.

The destruction included ruined infrastructure, isolated communities due to road closures, several hectares of devastated agricultural land, and significant challenges in relief operations.

In an interview with Guru Press Cordillera during the committee hearing, Board Member Julius Amla, Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, explained that the primary purpose of the MOA is to ensure the availability of low-cost rice for disaster-affected individuals in the province, especially those impacted by Uwan.

Amla shared that a key feature of the agreement is the PLGU’s access to quality NFA rice at significantly reduced prices—₱33 per kilo for fresh rice stocks (zero to three months old) and ₱29 per kilo for older stocks (more than three months old).

This provision directly addresses concerns raised by the PDRRMC regarding the need for secure buffer stocks and the procurement challenges that arise when disasters affect more families than initially projected.

Amla emphasized the necessity of the immediate approval. He said that as Committee Chairman, he promptly scheduled the committee hearing upon receiving the transmittal from the Office of the Governor, knowing the agreement would bring vital assistance to Kalinga residents.

“Inapprobaram tayo daytoy nga Memorandum of Agreement ta makatulong kadagiti kakailyan tayo daytoy. Kas Chairman iti Committee on Agriculture, idi naawat tayo ti transmittal nga naggapo iti Office of the Governor, dagus tayo nga inschedule daytoy nga committee hearing. Babaen daytoy nga MOA, mabalin tayo nga gumatang iti mas nalaklaka pay nga bagas. Ammo tayo met nga tiempo iti bagyo tata ket talaga nga kasapulan nga agbirok tayo iti nalaka pay nga paggatangan. Napintas ta adda dagitoy taga-NFA nga mangisayangkat ti maysa nga MOA nga mangipaay kanyatayo iti pagsayaatan,” Amla said.

Following the discussions, Amla and the committee members—including Board Members Camilo Lammawin Jr., Christopher Dona-al, and Michael Karel Sugguiyao—approved and endorsed the MOA to the august body for formal adoption during the Provincial Board’s plenary session on Tuesday, November 18.