Army chief to head NFA after retirement: Duterte

September 16, 2018

Lt. Gen Rolando Jose Bautista was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as the next administrator of the National Food Authority (NFA) after he retires as commanding general of the Philippine Army.

Duterte made the announcement during the televised Cabinet meeting in Cagayan where they appraised damage wrought by Typhoon Ompong.

"In the meantime that I cannot put you in the central bank, you can be assigned at the NFA to rationalize the idiotic... make it structural," said Duterte.

Bautista will be retiring as Army chief on October 15, said Lt. Col. Louie Villanueva, Army spokesman, in a text message to Daily Manila Shimbun.

Jayson Aquino sought leave from his job as NFA head, said Duterte a few days ago, as clamor rose over the unavailability of cheap government rice.  High rice prices were one of the reasons for the soaring inflation rate that has prompted the central bank to raise policy rates three times.

Bautista was one of the key generals which led the Philippine military in regaining control of Marawi City from Islamic militants last year. DMS