Press Officer of Malacañang Speaks on VP Sara Duterte’s Claim over P20 Per Kilo Rice
MALACAÑANG – The Palace called on Vice President Sara Duterte not to be “childish” following her recent remarks on P20 per kilo rice.
Countless Filipinos are undeniably hoping for cheaper rice in the Philippines. Rice is a staple food in the country. Thus, if it will bear a low price, it would definitely benefit countless people. An affordable rice is a campaign promise of Pres. Bongbong Marcos.
However, amid the feud between her and the President, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte recently claimed that she knows how to achieve the P20 per kilo rice but she refuses to help Pres. Bongbong Marcos. Thus, the Vice President refused to speak about her knowledge on how it can be done.
According to Duterte, the P20 per kilo rice is impossible but it is doable. She claimed that she has already talked to some people in 2022 about it when she ran with Marcos Jr. Recently, Malacañang hit back at the statement of the Vice President.
Malacañang press officer Atty. Claire Castro said that the recent remarks of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte shows her true colors and her nature as a public servant. She stressed the statement of the Vice President — ‘imposible talaga ang bente pesos na bigas, pero puwede siya, hindi ko lang ise-share sa inyo, kasi ayaw kong tulungan si PBBM’.
Based on a report on Inquirer, Atty. Claire Castro further expressed that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte admitting that she has a knowledge, “if there is”, on how to achieve cheap rice but refuses to share it with Pres. Bongbong Marcos allegedly shows that she is “selfish”. According to the press officer of Malacañang, whatever knowledge she has that could benefit the people should be implemented right away.
“Sa pag-amin niya pong ito na hindi niya ise-share kung anuman ang kanyang kaalaman, kung mayroon man talagang kaalaman, dahil nga sa ayaw niyang pagtulong sa ating Pangulo, ito’y nagpapakita ng isang makasarili, tandaan po natin kung anuman po ang kaalaman na mayroon kayo para sa taumbayan, ito po dapat ay agad-agad na isinasagawa at hindi po dapat ito tina-timing,” Castro said.
Based on the report, the Malacañang press officer also asked if Vice Pres. Sara Duterte did not think about the welfare of many Filipinos who already struggle in buying rice even at a low cost. Castro called on the Vice President not to be “childish” saying that the government is not a huge playground and serving the people is not a game.
“Tandaan po natin, ang paglilingkod sa bayan ay hindi isang laro. Ang gobyerno, ang bansa ay hindi isang malaking playground, huwag naman po sanang maging asal bata ang Bise Presidente,” she said.
Previously, following the announcement of the Department of Agriculture that it will temporarily stop the rice sale, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that the government is allegedly aware that it cannot deliver rice at P20 per kilo, thus, resulting to a halted rice program.
DA previously committed that the rice sale will resume immediately after the 2025 Elections. It also announced that not only Visayas but as well as 32 areas in Luzon will have access to the affordable rice.