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)

ORMOC CITY– A local police investigation is underway following the discovery of a woman’s lifeless body found early Sunday morning, May 4, in a grassy area in Sitio Arizona, Brgy. Cansolabao, Hinabangan, Samar.

According to the local police, they received a report from a concerned citizen at approximately 7:50 am on Sunday, alerting them to the discovery of a deceased individual. Responding officers arrived at the scene and found a female cadaver with a head injury.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team was immediately called in to process the crime scene. However, the results of their examination have not yet been released.
As of this report, the woman’s identity remains unknown. Her body was transported to the Hinabangan Rural Health Unit (RHU) at around 4:50 pm Sunday for a post-mortem examination.

The Hinabangan Municipal Police Station (MPS) is continuing its investigation to determine the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding her death.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region has been placed on full alert status ahead of the 2025 national and local elections scheduled for next Monday, May 12, with the entire force mobilized to ensure a safe and peaceful electoral process.
“Despite the challenges, our mission is clear: to safeguard the integrity of the elections. We must work together to guarantee safe, secure, and peaceful elections across the region,” said Police Regional Director Brigadier General Jay Cumigad in a statement on Saturday, May 3.

Cumigad also called on the public to remain vigilant and cooperative.

“We urge citizens to stay alert, work with authorities, and report any suspicious activities. This is part of our shared commitment to protecting the democratic process,” he added.

According to Major Analiza Armeza, officer-in-charge of the Regional Public Information Office, the full alert status suspends all leaves of absence for police personnel to maximize deployment across the region.

As part of the PNP’s intensified security operations, about 751 personnel under the Regional Special Operations Task Group were deployed to election “hotspots,” including Samar’s 1st District and Leyte’s 3rd and 4th Districts; tactical teams, also known as “Road Runners,” have been assigned to conduct mobile patrols and the Regional Standby Support Force (RSSF) from the regional headquarters has been stationed in Tacloban City and nearby areas in Leyte.

“These deployments aim to ensure a secure, accurate, free, and fair electoral process throughout Eastern Visayas,” said Armeza.

She added that Brig. Gen. Cumigad, together with members of the regional command group, has been conducting on-the-ground inspections of checkpoints to assess operational readiness and boost troop morale.

In a show of regional cooperation, PNP-Eastern Visayas also deployed a 101-member Special Electoral Board Contingent to Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) to support election security operations in areas deemed under special security concern.

(RONALD O. REYES)