Following VP Sara Duterte’s Criticism, Malacañang Calls on Filipinos to Unite for Fulfillment of President’s Aspirations
Malacañang issued a statement on the criticism of Vice President Sara Duterte on the P20 per kilo rice sale program in Visayas.
One of the most popular campaign promises of Pres. Bongbong Marcos which greatly hooked the attention of many Filipinos is the reduction of the rice cost to Php 20 per kilo. With rice being a staple food in the Philippines, it being sold in a lower cost would benefit countless Filipinos most especially those who are living below the poverty line.
Recently, Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made an announcement that the sale of P20 per kilo rice will be started in Visayas. It immediately earned a reaction from Vice Pres. Sara Duterte who claimed that the government is allegedly fooling the Filipinos again through the P20 per kilo rice sale. According to the Vice President, it leaves a question why the rice sale will only be available in Visayas and not in Mindanao and Luzon.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte also claimed that a meeting attended by the governments in Visayas was allegedly held at the Cebu capital. She raised an intriguing question if there is allegedly a problem with the administration’s votes in Visayas.
Recently, Malacañang hit back at the criticism of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte regarding the P20 per kilo rice sale in Visayas. Based on a report on PhilStar, Palace Press Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro stressed that the real Filipino leaders are supporting their fellow Filipinos most especially the leader of the country.
“Huwag sanang pairalin ang crab mentality at huwag maging anay sa lipunan. Magkaisa tayo para matupad ng Pangulo at ng pamahalaan ang mga aspirasyon para sa taumbayan,” the press officer of Malacañang said.
Based on the report, Castro stressed that the reduction of the cost of rice to P20 per kilo has long been the aspiration of Pres. Bongbong Marcos. According to the press officer of Malacañang, now that the President’s aspiration is slowly being realized, there are people who are speaking negatively about it.
Atty. Claire Castro stressed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos wants cheap rice to be available to the Filipino people. She asserted that the government is working to achieve the aspiration of the Chief Executive.
In 2023, Pres. Bongbong Marcos claimed that the government is working to achieve the goal of having rice at P20 per kilo. After a year, amid their souring relationship, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte urged the Filipinos to demand the government to fulfill the promise for lesser cost of rice.