Political Gimmick? Sara Duterte Slams ₱20-Per-Kilo
2 min read
APRIL 23,2025
VISAYAS, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte has expressed strong skepticism over the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) recent announcement to sell rice at ₱20 per kilo in the Visayas, branding it a politically driven move aimed at boosting support for the Marcos administration’s senatorial candidates ahead of the 2025 elections.
Speaking candidly during an ambush interview, Duterte said, “Hindi ko alam kung anong motibo nila. Baka binubudol na naman nila ang mga tao sa ₱20-per-kilo na bigas.”
(I don’t know their motive. Perhaps they’re fooling the people again with this ₱20 rice promise.)
A Promise Recycled?
The ₱20-per-kilo rice was a key campaign promise of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during his 2022 presidential run, where he envisioned cutting down rice prices through a restructured value chain. However, Vice President Duterte criticized the reappearance of this promise, questioning its feasibility and sincerity.
“Hindi nila magawa hanggang ngayon dahil hindi nila alam kung paano gawin,” she said.
(They couldn’t make it happen until now because they don’t know how.)
According to Duterte, the idea was unrealistic from the start. “Alam niyang hindi kayanin pero pinaasa niya ang mga tao,” she added.
(He knew it wasn’t possible, but he still gave people false hope.)
Political Gimmick-Rice for the People—or for the Pigs?
Duterte raised concerns about the quality of the rice being sold at such a low price.
“Kapag sinabi mong ₱20 na bigas, ‘yung pwedeng kainin ng tao dapat. Ang binibenta yata, ‘yung pinapakain sa baboy. Hindi mga hayop ang mga Pilipino.”
(If you’re selling rice at ₱20 per kilo, it should be edible. What they’re offering is usually fed to pigs. Filipinos are not animals.)
She emphasized that if the rice is safe and nutritious, then Filipinos across the country, not just in the Visayas, should have equal access.
Why Only in the Visayas?
The pilot run for the ₱20 rice is expected to start in the Visayas region, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., with a weekly purchase limit of 10 kilograms per family. But Duterte questioned why the program was limited to just one region.
“Baka may problema sila sa boto dito sa Visayas,” she said pointedly.
(Maybe they have a problem with votes in the Visayas.)
“Parang sinasabi nila na hindi kami nagugutom sa Mindanao kaya hindi namin kailangan ng ₱20 na bigas.”
(It’s like saying we’re not going hungry in Mindanao, so we don’t need ₱20 rice.)
Political Gimmick-Can ₱20 Rice Really Feed the Nation?
Data from the Department of Agriculture previously showed that commercial rice prices ranged between ₱37 to ₱52 per kilo, depending on the variety and whether it was locally grown or imported.
This casts doubt on whether the ₱20-per-kilo goal is sustainable, or if it’s simply a campaign tactic designed to appeal to struggling Filipinos amid high inflation and food insecurity.
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