Employees of the National Food Authority (NFA) last week called on President Duterte to dismiss the agency’s administrator, Judy Carol Dansal, over alleged graft and corrupt practices, nepotism, grave abuse of authority, wanton disregard of existing laws, rules, and regulations, and for being anti-labour. In a press conference, NFA Employees Association national president Maximo Torda said the immediate ouster of Dansal will “save the agency from further deterioration.” The accusations against Dansal, according to the workers’ group, are not the first to be hurled at this law graduate from the President’s alma mater San Beda College, who was appointed NFA chief in June 2019. That was six months after her retirement from the food agency where she served for some 40 years, her last post being deputy administrator. The workers’ group claimed that Dansal is facing at least three graft charges at the Ombudsman, an administrative complaint at the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and an alleged violation of the NFA procurement rules by purchasing rice in Region 5 (Bicol) without the existence of an emergency, resulting in losses for the agency. Many of the accusations centred on how Dansal dealt with the NFA employees. The group claimed that Dansal favoured certain people in the NFA, including those who were supposed to have been retired, and appointed her daughter-in-law and her mother to key NFA positions. The employees’ union also claimed that Dansal abused her power when she fired some employees, yet retained others similarly situated. Worse, Dansal allegedly refused to grant overdue economic benefits to workers such as, of all things, the rice subsidy. The workers’ statement said that Dansal also reportedly ordered all NFA employees nationwide to sign a proforma affidavit, signifying their resignation as members of the labour group and waiving their right to be represented by the union “as a precondition to availing of the separation incentive package and/or placement to the vacant positions in the agency.” Employees who refuse, the group said, are reportedly threatened that they will not be given any position; some were forced to retire, dismissed illegally, or demoted. The day after the employees’ group went public, Dansal simply denied the allegations of graft and corruption, and refuted claims of her being anti-employee. She described the accusations as “mistaken” and “misleading,” adding that NFA management does not recognize the individuals who held the media briefing as representatives of the union because of their alleged non-compliance with the “requirements of election provided for under the NFA Employees Association Constitution, and their failure to represent at least 30 per cent of the rank-and-file employees as required by law.” Dansal said their grievances had something to do with the implementation of the NFA restructuring plan as a result of the enactment of Republic Act No. 11203, the rice tariffication law, which removed certain market functions of the NFA as it allowed the private sector to import rice. NFA is no stranger to controversies. In 2018, senators wanted then administrator Jason Aquino fired over the rice crisis that saw the price of rice going as high as P70 per kilo in Zamboanga City, with retailers coaxing the public to consider corn as an alternative.

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