Pangilinan calls it as ‘stopgap’ measure
TACLOBAN CITY – While President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s plan to sell rice at P20 per kilogram has drawn praise from consumers, it has sparked concern among rice farmers in Eastern Visayas, who fear the move could severely impact their livelihoods.
In a phone interview on Thursday, April 24, Rodrigo Alumbro, president of a local irrigation association covering the rice-producing villages of Camansihay, Odiongan, Pagsang-an, Sulpa, Balucawehay, and Tinalian in Abuyog, Leyte, said that while the initiative is well-intentioned from a consumer standpoint it is problematic for farmers.
“It’s good for the rice-consuming public, but not for us farmers. That would mean our income will decline since we will have to sell our produce at a lower price,” Alumbro said.
“If the government buys our palay, it will likely be at a lower rate.”
Alumbro noted that farmers in their area currently sell freshly harvested palay (unhusked rice) to private traders at around P35 per kilogram.
If the government is to implement a P20/kilo rice program sustainably, he emphasized the need for comprehensive support, including free seeds, fertilizers, and cash subsidies.
Echoing these concerns, former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, a long-time advocate for agriculture and food security, called the P20 rice initiative a “stopgap measure” unless it is backed by a viable support system for farmers.
“For me, for this to be sustainable, the government must provide direct support—such as buying palay directly from farmers,” Pangilinan told local media during a visit to Leyte on Thursday.
“Otherwise, this will remain just a stopgap solution.”
Pangilinan, who previously served as the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization, has long pushed for farm-to-market reforms and improved agricultural subsidies. He reiterated that ensuring food affordability must go hand-in-hand with protecting the welfare of producers.
As the government pushes forward with its P20 rice program, farmers like those in Abuyog are calling for a more balanced approach—one that benefits both the consuming public and the people who grow the nation’s staple food.
Last Wednesday, April 23, Pres. Marcos through Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. announced for the rollout of the P20 per kilo of rice to start in the Visayas.
Laurel said that the Department of Agriculture will provide up to 40 kilograms of rice per household every month.
The program will last until December of this year and is to end on 2028, coinciding the end of the Marcos government.
JOEY A. GABIETA
