Malacañang on Thursday hit back at Vice President Sara Duterte for criticizing the rollout of P20-per-kilo rice in the Visayas, urging officials to unite behind President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Castro emphasized that the President has long aspired to make affordable rice accessible to Filipinos, and questioned why critics are resurfacing now that the program is being realized. Vice President Duterte earlier dismissed the program as an election promise meant to prop up the administration’s senatorial bets, calling it another attempt to deceive the public. Responding to Duterte’s remarks that the rice being sold is fit for animals, Castro clarified that the rice will be of good quality — the same variety currently sold at P33 per kilo — and will come from local farmers. Castro also rejected claims that the rice program is linked to President Marcos’ declining ratings in recent surveys, saying the initiative had been in the works long before the numbers were released. Read Full Story
