WHY ONLY now?
This is the very question many are asking following the latest pronouncement from the Department of Agriculture (DA) about selling rice in the Visayas at ₱20 per kilo soon.
The news broke after President Bongbong Marcos met with Visayan governors in Cebu City on April 23.
The idea reportedly came from Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia.
However, when Agriculture Secretary Kiko Laurel-Tiu spun the announcement, instead of being praised, it was met with a barrage of criticisms.
First to shoot it down was Vice President Sara Duterte.
The Vice President expressed doubt about the quality of rice that would be sold at ₱20 per kilo, suggesting it might be fit only for animal
feed — dogs, cats, pigs included.
Laurel-Tiu, clearly hurt by VP Duterte’s biting comment, assured the public that the rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) — reportedly sourced from Vietnam — would be of good quality.
To Be Subsidized
Here comes Negros Occidental governor Bong Lacson, who couldn’t keep his thoughts to himself.
Lacson, during a press conference on April 25, said the rice to be sold at ₱20 per kilo would match the quality of rice currently priced at ₱33 per kilo in the market.
To bring it down to ₱20, he explained, the remaining ₱13 would be subsidized by both the national and local governments, with the province covering ₱6.30 per kilo.
As an initial guideline, Lacson revealed that each family would be allowed to purchase 10 kilos per week, or 40 kilos per month.
So, bingo!
Doing the math: for every 40 kilos purchased, the national and local governments will jointly shoulder ₱520 in subsidies.
Of this amount, the provincial government will shell out ₱260 per family per month.
But critical questions arise:
* How many families are there currently in Negros Occidental?
* When will this plan officially start?
* How long can it be sustained?
For Election Purposes
During the grand rally of the senatorial bets of the Duterte-backed Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) in Valladolid, Negros Occidental, also on April 25, former Malacañang executive secretary turned senatorial aspirant Vic Rodriguez boldly labeled the ₱20/kilo rice plan as another “pambubudol” or scam by the current administration.
He alleged that it was purely for election purposes.
“Sana, huwag na tayong magpabudol pa muli,” he warned the Negrenses.
Rodriguez had been with Marcos when the latter first floated the promise of ₱20-per-kilo rice during the 2022 presidential campaign.
That promise captivated many Filipinos and was instrumental in Marcos’ victory over then-Vice President Leni Robredo.
But disappointment quickly set in when, even after more than two years, the promise remained unfulfilled.
Question of Sustainability
Now, timing becomes a valid question:
Why only now, just days before the May 12 midterm elections?
And why only in the Visayas?
What about Luzon? What about Mindanao?
Is it true that the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ senatorial slate is weak in the Visayas?
These simple yet nagging questions continue to hound the sudden plan to roll out ₱20/kilo rice.
Even if we generously give the Marcos administration the benefit of the doubt — assuming no political motive — another critical issue remains: sustainability.
Until when can local governments like Negros Occidental afford to subsidize ₱260 per family per month?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but surely, this is no small feat. It’s a massive, burdensome undertaking for Visayan governors.
After Three Years Again?
If the national government is serious about this ₱20/kilo rice program, it must be transparent with the public about its true intentions.
The program must not be presented half-baked, or else public anger will only swell.
We Filipinos were “fooled” once before, in 2022, with the very same promise.
Is history about to repeat itself every three years?
Laurel-Tiu should not take offense at the public’s skepticism. Filipinos are no longer fools. We have developed discernment.
If the government spins the ₱20/kilo rice narrative again, Laurel-Tiu must be extra careful and sensitive. Filipinos will not easily swallow this.
The lesson from three years ago remains fresh, and today, the public is more reluctant than ever to believe promises tied to political propaganda.
‘Rice in the Ballots’
Laurel-Tiu must be mindful that premature announcements could end up becoming empty promises once again. He must present not just the surface story but the full, detailed plan behind the ₱20/kilo rice promise. He must present clear facts and figures, such as:
* the capacity of the NFA to sustain this program
* the number of Filipinos in the Visayas who would benefit
* the time frame for implementation
* the amount of funding earmarked to support the program
Without these, the promise risks being seen as another gimmick — bad for the sitting President.
I sincerely hope Laurel-Tiu approaches this with insight and prudence. “Rice in the ballots” is no longer an effective election gimmick.
One betrayal is enough./PN
