Amid the Criticisms, Department of Agriculture Speaks on P20 per Kilo Rice Program
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – The DA revealed that it allocates P5 billion funds for the subsidy of the P20 per kilo rice program.
The agriculture department recently guaranteed the Filipino people of the quality of the P20 per kilo rice through the officials eating it. The announcement of the DA about the rice sale was met with different reactions.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte criticized the P20 per kilo rice sale in Visayas saying that there is probably a problem on the votes in the region. According to the Vice President, it is doubtful why the rice sale is only in Visayas when the affordable rice is a nationwide need.
Duterte also questioned the quality of the rice that will be sold at P20 per kilo. She stressed that it should be fit for human consumption as the NFA rice being sold at the said price is allegedly for pigs.
The Department of Agriculture was “deeply hurt” by Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s remarks on the P20 per kilo rice sale. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stressed the department’s commitment to delivering quality rice to the Filipino people. According to him, they in the DA cook and eat NFA rice daily.
The Palace previously reacted to the criticisms of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte on the rice program. Malacañang called on Vice Pres. Duterte not to be a termite in the society following her remarks on the rice program. Palace press officer Atty. Claire Castro stressed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos has long aspired for an affordable rice for the Filipinos.
Recently, the Department of Agriculture announced that they allocated P5 billion funds to subsidize the P20 per kilo rice program. Based on a post of ABS-CBN News, the NFA rice that will be sold at P20 per kilo is originally priced at P33 per kilo thus the government have to cover for the P13 difference per kilo.
Recently, Malacañang insisted that the sale of rice for P20 per kilo is not politically-motivated.