VICE President Sara Duterte’s attack on the P20 per kilo rice program drew sharp criticisms on Sunday, pointing out that it was during the Duterte administration when rice prices soared to P70 a kilo in some areas and bukbok-infested imports entered the market.
House Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation Chairman Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur on Sunday said it was ironic for the Vice President to mock a program meant to ease the burden of ordinary Filipinos.
“It is ironic that the Vice President is mocking efforts to lower rice prices to P20 per kilo when, during the administration of her father, rice prices even soared to P70 per kilo in some areas,” Adiong, a House Assistant Majority Leader, said.
“It was under the Duterte government that we saw imported rice shipments infested with bukbok, when her father’s appointed Agriculture Secretary, Manny Piñol, oversaw rice importation. Before pointing fingers, it would be better for her to look back at the failures of the administration she proudly represents,” Adiong added.
The House leader was reacting to Duterte’s recent remarks where she said the current administration’s push to provide P20/kilo rice under a pilot project in certain parts of the Visayas is already “too late.”
“Rather than criticize, the vice president should support every effort that aims to provide relief to the Filipino people, especially when it involves making basic necessities more affordable,” Adiong said.
He said VP Duterte’s comments only remind the public of the hardships ordinary Filipinos endured under the previous administration, particularly when rice prices surged dramatically and food security became a national crisis.
“Ang dapat sa isang lider, lalo na kung may malasakit siya sa bayan, ay sumuporta sa mga hakbang para mapagaan ang buhay ng tao, hindi ang manira ng pagsisikap ng iba,” Adiong said.
The P20/kilo rice program, first piloted in select Kadiwa centers in the Visayas, is part of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s broader effort to fulfill a campaign promise of making rice affordable for all Filipino families.
According to government reports, the program involves partnerships with farmers’ cooperatives to deliver freshly milled rice directly to consumers, eliminating middlemen and reducing costs.
Duterte’s criticism came even as the Department of Agriculture stressed that the pilot program’s goal is to fine-tune the distribution model before a nationwide rollout, ensuring sustainability and accessibility.
Adiong underscored that such projects deserve support, not ridicule.
“We should be working together to find solutions, not tearing down every attempt simply because it comes from another administration,” Adiong said.
He also stressed that national leaders must rise above politics, especially when the welfare of the people is at stake.
“It’s not about which administration gets credit. It’s about making sure Filipino families can put affordable food on their tables,” Adiong said.
“As public servants, our loyalty should be to the people, not to political vendettas,” Adiong said
