PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The National Food Authority (NFA) is targeting the 2026 completion of its Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (MAFIM) main building in Narra, a move set to boost palay procurement and provide better facilities for Palawan farmers.
Rubelyn Landicho, Warehouse Supervisor and Branch Information Officer-designate, reported that the project—which has a total contract value of ₱87,661,183.43—has reached 33 percent completion following a recent branch inspection. Once the structure is finished, subsequent phases of the MAFIM project will introduce advanced machinery, including silos and mechanical dryers, alongside a dedicated project office within the building.
“Ang building ay target na ngayong taon matapos, napakalaking advantage; kasi ang NFA Palawan ay hindi nakakapamili ng basa. Once matapos na ang MAFIM project, pag fully operational na ay tuloy-tuloy na tayo makakapamili ng basa, malaking tulong sa farmers,” she said.
The project site, formerly a rice field, required extensive soil filling before construction commenced in July 2025. Upon the MAFIM project’s full completion, the facility will house three silo units with a 20,000-bag capacity each, four mechanical dryers capable of processing 30 tons per batch each, and a rice mill with an hourly capacity of eight to 10 tons.
These mechanical dryers will allow the NFA to process fresh or wet unhusked rice (palay), particularly from Narra, known as the province’s rice granary.
“Sa ngayon, ang napapagamit lang sa amin ay solar dryer sa NFA Narra. Malaking pag-asa sa kanila ang mechanical dryer na magagamit. Every time na kailangan ng bigas, merong nakaimbak sa silo, ganon ka-modernized ‘yon,” Landicho added.
Currently, the NFA operates two warehouses in Narra with a capacity of 60,000 bags each, with one dedicated to palay storage and the other for rice.| (RG/JBG/PIA MIMAROPA-Palawan/Photo from NFA Palawan Branch)
