The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Philippines has confirmed that the country's rice supply remains secure despite the temporary shutdown of 97 National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses amid an investigation by the Ombudsman into alleged irregular rice sales. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. reassured the public of adequate rice buffer stocks, attributing this to recent procurements and the ongoing harvest season expected to continue until May. Efforts are underway to reopen the affected warehouses to ensure the uninterrupted operation and procurement of rice. The investigation has resulted in the suspension of over a hundred NFA officials and employees, though suspensions for two dozen were revoked after discovering inaccuracies in the data provided by the DA.