The Philippine government may distribute to poor Filipinos the surplus imported rice instead of leaving it to rot in warehouses, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Thursday. National Food Authority (NFA) is currently assessing the situation of the rice stocks stored in its warehouses nationwide, he said in a news briefing. 'Certainbly that is a good suggestion, but we will study it ( the distribution of the surplus grains),' he said when asked if the government could just consider giving the rice to poor Filipinos. Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman would also be consulted regarding the recommendation, he said. In his first State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Benigno Aquino III revealed that due to the over importation of rice during the previous administration, excess supply was left to rot in warehouses, while the government is suffering over a 171.6 billion pesos (3.7 billion U.S. dollars) debt incurred by the NFA in rice importation as of May 2010. The NFA, with the help of the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation, would conduct a probe that will involve a system and management audit on the reported over- importation of rice and determine the possible accountability of parties involved, officials said. 