Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Asserts Cheap Rice Must Be Fit for Human Consumption
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President raised a concern on the quality of rice to be sold at P20 per kilo asserting that it should be fit for human consumption.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made an announcement that rice will be sold at P20 per kilo in Visayas. It gained different reactions from the people. Some Filipinos see it as the start of the realization of the campaign promise of Pres. Bongbong Marcos while others raised speculations on the timing of the roll-out of the program.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte vocally expressed her doubts on the intention behind the P20 per kilo rice in Visayas. According to the Vice President, it is doubtful why it is only implemented in Visayas and not available in Mindanao and Luzon.
The Vice President also claimed that a meeting was allegedly held at the Cebu capital and it gathered most of the governors in Visayas. According to her, there might be allegedly a problem with the votes in Visayas.
Previously, the DA explained that the rice sale will be implemented in Visayas because of the excess stocks in the warehouses in the region. Based on a report on GMA News, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that the implementation of the campaign promise comes “a little too late”.
“Hindi ‘yan pagiging mapagpuna… it’s a campaign promise, ‘yung 20 pesos na rice, at ngayon lang in-implement sa panahon ng eleksyon,” the Vice President said.
Based on the report, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte also stressed that affordable rice is a nationwide need. Previously, the Vice President also expressed her concern on the quality of rice to be sold at P20 per kilo in Visayas.
“‘Pag sinabi natin na P20 per kilo na bigas, ‘yung pwede kainin ng tao… ‘Yan ‘yung P20 per kilo na binibenta, ‘yung pinapakain sa baboy. Hindi mga hayop ang mga Pilipino. Kapag nagbenta kayo ng P20 per kilo, bibili kami lahat kasi pwede siya kainin ng tao,” Duterte said.
The Vice President also previously said that the person who promised the P20 per kilo rice to the Filipinos allegedly knew that it is impossible. However, that person allegedly lied and made people believe it.
DA Sec. Tiu Laurel claimed that Marcos Jr. wants the affordable rice to be implemented across the nation in the long run. According to the Agriculture Secretary, DA is working day and night to fulfill the aspiration of the President.
Malacañang reacted on Vice Pres. Duterte’s criticism of the P20 per kilo rice sale in Visayas. Palace press officer Atty. Claire Castro stressed that it is a long dream of Pres. Bongbong Marcos.