The Iloilo Provincial Government is gearing up for the implementation of the P20-per-kilo rice program, which will be piloted in the Visayas.
Goverthur Arthur Defensor, Jr. will issue an executive order integrating the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) rice program to the provincial government’s existing programs.
“We will have to combine this with our program. We will sign this Executive Order, and that plan to sell rice at a low cost will be part of our program,” he said in a radio interview.
Defensor was among the Visayas governor who were present during a closed-door luncheon meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Cebu City on Wednesday, April 23.
According Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel Jr., Visayas was selected for the pilot implementation due to ample rice supply from Iloilo in Western Visayas, and the high number of vulnerable individuals in the area.
“But of course the eventual intention of this program is, once we sort out all the issues logistically so we could actually see how to operate it, launch it and manage it, this will be [implemented] nationwide eventually,” he said.
Laurel assured Laurel assured that DA has stocks of rice that can be sold at P20 per kilo, noting that the purchase of such is capped at 10 kilograms per week or 40 kilos in a month.
In an interview in Negros Oriental, Vice President Sara Duterte criticized, saying that it is just another attempt to deceive Filipinos.
“At magdududa ka dahil bakit Visayas lang, hindi ba nagugutom yung mga tiga Mindanao, hindi ba nagugutom yung mga tiga Luzon, bakit ang P20 per kilo lang dito sa Visayas? Baka may problema sila sa boto dito sa Visayas,” she said.IMT
