TACLOBAN CITY – Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre has defended the government’s initiative to sell rice at P20 per kilo, assuring the public that the rice is of good quality and safe for consumption.
In response to concerns and criticism circulating online that the rice to be sold under the program is unfit for human consumption, Acidre clarified that the rice, while not premium, is edible and suitable for everyday meals.
“Definitely, it’s not the P50-per-kilo rice we’re used to, but it’s good rice. It’s not discolored or inedible. What matters is that it’s something people can eat. We cannot abandon those who have nothing to put on their table,” Acidre said in during a media interview Sunday, May 4.
The program aims to provide affordable rice to marginalized sectors and families living below the poverty line—a key promise of the Marcos administration.
“The situation in our country is more complex than it seems. The government is going out of its way to make rice accessible to everyone, and I hope leaders will support the program instead of criticizing it,” Acidre said.
Acidre admitted that while the initiative may not be perfect, it is a crucial step in alleviating hunger, particularly among the poorest Filipinos.
Earlier, National Food Authority (NFA) Eastern Visayas Regional Manager May Sara Sabarre also addressed the misinformation being spread online, dismissing claims that the government is distributing poor-quality or spoiled rice.
“This is baseless. The rice we will provide to local government units for sale at P20 per kilo is of good quality and locally produced,” Sabarre said.
She explained that the rice being distributed is freshly procured from local farmers and is between zero to two months old. These stocks are stored in NFA warehouses in rice-producing towns like Alangalang, Jaro, Santa Fe, and Palo in Leyte.
“Sometimes you may notice slight yellowish grains, which is unavoidable due to limited drying facilities. Some farmers can’t dry their harvests immediately, and our local rice mills still lack modern sorters,” Sabarre added.
To improve rice quality and handling, Sabarre said the NFA is building modern rice mills in Oras, Eastern Samar, and Alangalang, Leyte. Similar facilities are also planned for Northern Samar, Samar, and Biliran.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
