Executive Order No. 51, December 22, 1998

DIRECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS, BUREAUS, OFFICES, AGENCIES AND INSTRUMENTALITIES OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND CONTROLLED CORPORATIONS, THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE WHO EITHER PROVIDE RICE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AS A FORM OF INCENTIVE OR NON-MONETARY BENEFIT OR USE RICE IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR FUNCTIONS, TO PURCHASE THEIR RICE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY

WHEREAS, the National Food Authority (NFA) is mandated by law to stabilize the supply and price of the countrys staple food, rice;

WHEREAS, to pursue its mandate, the NFA is authorized to build up and maintain a minimum strategic rice reserve equivalent to 15 days national consumption at every given time of the year and a buffer stock equivalent to at least 30 days by July 1 of every year;

WHEREAS, a growing number of government offices, agencies and instrumentalities provide rice to their employees as a form of incentive or non-monetary benefit;

WHEREAS, NFA rice is priced at a reasonable level far lower than the price of commercial rice of comparable quality, thus making it affordable especially to fixed and low income earners;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the power vested in me by law, do hereby order:

Section 1. Sourcing of Rice from the National Food Authority. The National Food Authority shall be the primary supplier or source of rice of government entities who either grant rice as a form of incentive or benefit to their employees or use rice in connection with their functions. Only upon issuance of an NFA waiver can these government entities source rice elsewhere.

Section 2. Rice Distribution Scheme for Government Offices, Agencies and Instrumentalities. The National Food Authority, shall draw up the scheme and guidelines, with the approval of the NFA Council, to facilitate the withdrawal, delivery and payment of NFA rice to be availed of by government entities for their employees or in pursuit of their respective functions.

Section 3. Rice Supply Agreement. The National Food Authority shall prepare and initiate the forging of an appropriate Memorandum of Agreement with concerned government offices to operationalize the rice supply arrangement.

Section 4. Repealing Clause. All executive orders, rules and regulations and other issuances or parts thereof that are inconsistent with the provision of this Executive Order are hereby either revoked or modified accordingly.

Section 5. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of DECEMBER, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety eight.

(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA

President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA

Executive Secretary