NFA relaunches fortified rice program

MANILA, Philippines — Months after the National Food Authority (NFA) froze the iron-fortified rice (IFR) program, the food agency has turned around and Administrator Angelito Banayo made a big splash by launching the I-Rice Program at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila Tuesday morning.

President Aquino led the guests invited to the program, which also included Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala and five other Cabinet members along with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

IFR was temporarily shelved last year when the Aquino government took over since it was found out that it costs P1 to fortify a kilo of NFA rice with iron and other micronutrients.

The shelving saddened the National Nutrition Council (NNC), which claimed that IFR was succeeding in reducing malnutrition among pupils served by the council and it appealed to Banayo to continue with the program.

Rice millers like Herculano "Joji" Co, president of the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations (Philcongrains), said the program was laudable, and he, along with other millers, had been fortifying the rice they sell.

Republic Act 8976 (RA 8976) actually mandates the fortification of rice, flour cooking oil and refined sugar and encourages food processors to perk up their products with micronutrients as part of the government’s efforts to reduce micronutrient deficiency among children and lactating mothers.

This deficiency actually covers the lack of vitamins and trace minerals like vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc and others which beef up the body's defenses, with iron keeping the liver functioning adequately apart from improving the immune system by battering the harmful activities of free radicals.

Iron keeps the blood red and carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs.

Studies show that iron deficiency anemia is responsible for 20 percent of neonatal mortality and 10 percent of maternal mortality.

With Banayo leading the I-Rice Program, it appears that the NNC and private millers like Co had made their point clear, which is IFR should be pursued in accordance with the law and the long-term welfare of millions of children suffering from malnutrition that leads to low intellectual progress.

Nonetheless, I-Rice takes off from the program pursued for years by the NNC and the Department of Education (DepEd) and it is expected to be implemented for keeps.

Aside from Alcala, the other Cabinet members invited were Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Secretary Herminio Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, and NFA Council members Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, and Bangko Sentral Gov. Amando Tetangco and Deputy Gov. Diwa Gunigundo.

I-Rice or Iron Fortified Rice is a mix of white milled rice and I-Mix or iron rice premix processed through fortification, which means it is armed with vitamins and minerals needed by school children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

source: manila bulletin