The Negros Oriental provincial government vowed to support the P20-a-kilo rice project of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with a P15-million counterpart funding by October.
Speaking before thousands at the “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat” event at the Negros Oriental State University gymnasium in Dumaguete City Sept. 13, coinciding with the 68th birthday of Marcos, Governor Manuel Sagarbarria said the program is proof of the administration’s commitment to serve vulnerable communities.
“Through this celebration of service, the President reaffirms his commitment to continue genuine and meaningful change,” he said.
The provincial government will release its subsidy through the National Food Authority to procure rice from local farmers, sustaining the affordable rice scheme that buys the staple at P33 per kilo and sells it at a lower price.
A total of 150 bags of rice, each weighing 50 kilos, or 7,500 kilos in all, were sold at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo at the gymnasium.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Dumaguete residents thanked the President for the affordable rice program, and called for its continuous implementation.
David Pis-an, 65, of Barangay Talay and a retired security guard, said the 10 kilos of rice he bought would last for about a week for him and three others in his household.
Carlos Generoso, 82, of Barangay Pulantubig, noted the rice’s good quality compared to the usual P40 per kilo staple his seven-member family buys.
Barangay health workers Mary Judelyn Magong of Mangnao and Girlie Baring of Tabuctubig also lauded the initiative, saying it eases the burden on minimum wage earners and vulnerable sectors.
Aside from selling rice, the Department of Agriculture-Negros Island Region said that free services from various agencies were also availed of residents, including check-ups, free seedlings from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, and farming guidelines.
There were also turnovers of livelihood grants from the Department of Labor and Employment, scholarship allowance from Tesda, and selling of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Sagarbarria, in a statement, thanked the national agencies for their continued support and collaboration, as he stressed the importance of solidarity in addressing the needs of people in Negros Oriental. ||
