Vice President Sara Duterte

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte blasted yet again the administration for suspending the roll out of the long-promised P20 per kilo rice after its distribution.  

The vice president said in an ambush interview in Zamboanga City on Friday (May 2) said she was mourning the way poverty-stricken Filipinos are being played around using such bait knowing full well that they fall easy for such promises. 

“Yes, ma’am. Kaya nga ako naka-itim ngayong araw na ito sa kampanya namin dahil nalulungkot talaga ako, nagluluksa ako kasi pinaglalaruan ‘yung mga tao na walang-wala. Pinaglalaruan ‘yung mga mahihirap na hindi lang isang beses, hindi lang dalawa, paulit-ulit na sinasamantala ‘yung desperation, hunger and poverty sa ating bayan.

The vice president earlier said that the distribution of the rice program in the Visayas was meant to boost the fairing of the administration candidates in the region where their numbers are poor. 

Nationwide implementation she said would not be possible – an argument she has been throwing against the president in most of her public talks. 

“Malamang ma’am kasi hindi talaga nila kaya na ibigay ng totoo ‘yung P20 pesos ang kilo ng bigas. Kaya nila napatigil ‘yan — kaya nila tinigil ‘yan kasi alam talaga nila na hindi talaga nila kaya ibenta. Sinubukan nila na mag-promise na naman ulit, na alam nilang hindi nila kayang ibigay,” Duterte said. 

After its first day of roll out drew long lines of customers in Cebu on Thursday (May 1), the Department of Agriculture announced the temporary suspension of its sale until the end of the 2025 election period. The move was in compliance with the Comelec directive to stop rice sale to prevent the program from being politicized. 

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