PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shrugged off concerns over the feasibility of his administration’s P20-per-kilo rice program.

Speaking to reporters following the ASEAN Summit, Marcos acknowledged that some sectors view the initiative as unsustainable or politically driven.

He said such opinions are valid but maintained that recent government efforts—including agreements with rice-exporting countries—have made it possible to offer rice at the subsidized rate. He added that the program aims to benefit both consumers and farmers by ensuring stable prices and fair producer compensation.

Marcos said the public would be able to assess the program’s success by the end of his term in 2028.

“Watch me sustain it. And then, we’ll talk in May of 2028 whether it pushed through or not. We found a way to do it,” Marcos said in a Philstar report.

The P20-per-kilo rice pledge was a central component of his 2022 presidential campaign, during which he received over 31 million votes.

The Department of Agriculture launched the program in April, targeting low-income households and seeking to ease congestion in National Food Authority (NFA) storage facilities.

According to the agency, the program is backed by an estimated subsidy of P3.5 billion to P4.5 billion, with funding shared between the national and local governments. The administration plans to continue financing the initiative through allocations in the 2025 national budget.

While some groups have expressed support for the move, others have questioned its financial viability and long-term impact.

Malacañang has denied claims that the program is intended to boost the administration’s image, stating that the goal has always been to improve food access for vulnerable populations.

Marcos also said that implementation delays were partly due to smuggling activities involving certain officials.(MyTVCebu)

• Tags
• #President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
• #P20-per-kilo Rice program
• #ASEAN Summit
• #Sustainability
• #National Food Authority