DA: P29/kilo rice ‘better than doing nothing’

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has defended the implementation of the P29 per kilo of rice after a farmers’ group questioned the program’s sustainability.

 “First, there are those who criticized (the P29 per kilo rice program). Well, my first reaction is that it is better that we are doing something instead of doing nothing. Life is very hard,” Tiu Laurel said in an interview.

The DA is giving false hopes to the poor by selling rice at P29 per kilo, according to Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. president Danilo Fausto.

He added that the move is not sustainable since the DA’s subsidy is pegged at P20 per kilo or at P220 million per day.

He said in an interview with The STAR that the P29 per kilo rice is more of a political move and was implemented possibly in preparation for President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address on Monday.

He added that based on his conversation with National Food Authority administrator Larry Lacson, the NFA can provide only the initial rice supply for the program.

Tiu Laurel said that he initially targeted to benefit the vulnerable sectors, including the members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, senior citizens, single parents and persons with disabilities.

“I have long targeted the implementation of P29 per kilo of rice since my assumption in office. The basic question is how do we lower the price of rice in general,” he said.

He admitted that the government needs to provide subsidies for post-harvest facilities and fertilizers to implement the program sustainably.

Tiu Laurel added that at least 13 Kadiwa stores are currently selling P29 per kilo of rice with a limit of 10 kilos per month to the vulnerable sectors.

He hopes that the DA will add more Kadiwa stores in different provinces next month.

“We hope to scale it up to about 20 by August then we will sell in three provinces, particularly in Cavite, Cebu and Maguindanao or Sulu. Hopefully, by early August or mid-August we will be able to scale up (the sale of P29 per kilo rice),” he said.