Manila, June 23 -- The House of Representatives vowed swift action on the proposed revamp of the National Food Authority (NFA) once it is formally transmitted to Congress.

The measure directly "responds to the urgent need to bring down rice prices, help farmers, and stabilize the country's food supply system," Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Monday.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) submitted the proposal to Malacanang last week, seeking to restore the NFA's authority to intervene in the rice market, including the power to buy palay (unhusked rice) at competitive prices and maintain adequate buffer stocks to prevent drastic price increases.

The measure also envisions a reorganized agency with a clearer mandate to support Filip...