A beneficiary checks the quality of well-milled rice that’s being sold at P20 per kilo at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on May 1. | Photo by Niña Mae Oliverio
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Mandaue City has expressed its intentions to join the P20 kilo rice program once it resumes after the elections, City Administrator Atty. Jamaal James Calipayan said.
Although the city was not included in the initial rollout in Cebu Province on May 1, Calipayan said they remain open and willing to participate.
“We will grab the opportunity because many sectors can benefit from it,” he said.
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Calipayan explained that the city had already expressed its interest during the rollout, but too many local government units (LGUs) were ahead in the allocation list.
The city tried to order 30 sacks of rice as a test to see if residents would support the program, but no supply was allocated.
Previously, Mandaue participated in the Provincial Government’s Sugbo Mercado selling low-cost rice at over P30 per kilo. However, it was not well-received due to complaints about poor quality.
Calipayan thinks the P20 rice program may gain more acceptance, noting that national officials promoted it by eating the rice themselves in public.
He also pointed out that LGUs involved in such programs do not earn profit, as the rice is sold at the same cost it was purchased.
The P20 kilo rice program, led by the Department of Agriculture, is intended to help families access affordable food. It was suspended a day after its launch due to a warning from the Commission on Elections but is expected to continue after the May 12 midterm polls.