Says subsidized rice program may resume after May 12 elections
The Commission on Elections on Thursday called on the Department of Agriculture to halt the rollout of the 20/kilo rice project given the prohibition of ayuda distribution 10 days ahead of the midterm polls.
Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said suspending the rollout and its expansion across Metro Manila through Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers will prevent it from being politicized or being used during the home stretch of the campaign.
“We are urging them to pause it temporarily. Maybe they can resume it after May 12, perhaps on May 13,” he said in an interview with dzBB.
“Comelec is not interfering with social services, but the law prohibits politicizing of state resources,” Garcia said.
The DA said it was ready to move the launching of the expanded P20-per-kilo rice program, dubbed “Benteng Bigas Mayroon Na (BBM Na)” in Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers across Metro Manila from the original May 2 target to May 13.
However, the rollout of the subsidized rice initiative for the Visayas pushed through in Cebu yesterday.
At least 800,000 households or the equivalent of 4 million people are expected to benefit from the program.
“Today, Labor Day, we fulfill a promise made three years ago by President Bongbong Marcos to the Filipino people: to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo. That promise is now a reality,” said Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. during the event held at the Cebu Capitol grounds.
At the sidelines of the event, the Food Terminal Inc. and the Cebu provincial government signed a memorandum of agreement for the shared subsidy of the pilot test in the province.
Cebu’s local governments have already begun withdrawing stocks of around 3,700 50-kilo bags of rice between April 29 and May 1 from the National Food Authority warehouse.
The P20-per-kilo initiative would cater to vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and 4Ps beneficiaries.
Each qualified household can buy up to 30 kilos of rice per month.
Additional distribution points have been set up at DA Central Office and Quezon Memorial Circle, Bureau of Plant Industry, Manila; Bureau of Animal Industry; Quezon City; Plant Fiber Development Authority, Las Piñas; Bagong Sibol Market, Marikina; Disiplina Village Phase 1, Valenzuela; Food Terminal Inc., Taguig; Barangay 183, Midway Park, Caloocan; Camp Crame (PNP Headquarters); Philippine Postal Corporation, Manila; PNP Eastern Police District, Pasig; Pasay Public Market, Libertad; Kamuning Public Market, Cubao; Mandaluyong Public Markets I & II; and, Bagong Silang Phase 9 Public Market, Caloocan.
Citing Philippine Statistics Authority data, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the NFA currently buys palay (unhusked rice) from farmers at P23 to P24 per kilo, above the prevailing farm-gate prices.
While the rice is sold to the public at a subsidized P20 per kilo, De Mesa said the real selling price to the FTI is at P33.
The gap is funded through a P5-billion subsidy – – P4.5 billion for rice cost-sharing and P500 million for logistics and packaging. Participating local government units also contribute P6.50 per kilo in shared subsidy.
For his part, Speaker Martin Romualdez said the subsidized rice program is sustainable with the expected increase in palay harvest arising from improved government support for the agriculture sector.
He made the statement in an interview with local media after inaugurating the Castañas Centro Communal Irrigation System in Barangay Castañas, Sariaya, Quezon on Wednesday.