Manila, Feb. 19 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said it is requesting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt the sale of rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to local government units (LGUs) from the election ban.

This, as the approved NFA rice release to LGUs, other government agencies, and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) under the declaration of a food security emergency for rice, started on Feb. 19 in select LGUs.

"We are actually releasing a letter to the Comelec officially informing them na mayroon kaming programang ganito (that we have a program like this)," DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a press conference on the sidelines of NFA rice stock release in V...