DA assures public P20/kilo rice is safe, high quality

The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured the public that the P20-per-kilo rice to be sold in the Visayas will be of good quality and safe for human consumption.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel stated that the DA family was deeply hurt by Vice President Sara Duterte's remark that the rice is "animal feed" and "hindi pang tao, pang hayop" (not for people, but for animals).

He clarified that the National Food Authority (NFA) rice, sourced from local farmers, is high quality and the DA family consumes it daily.

Laurel views the Vice President's comment as an insult to the hard work of millions of Filipino farmers.

Vice President Sara Duterte stated that the rollout of P20 per kilogram rice in the Visayas comes "a little too late" and suspiciously close to the May elections, calling it a campaign promise.

She also questioned why the initiative was limited to the Visayas region when affordable rice is a nationwide need.

Farmers' groups have called the P20 rice program an election campaign gimmick.