Seniors, PWDs queue overnight at QC Kadiwa store for P25/kilo rice

Several senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) queued overnight at a Kadiwa store in Quezon City to buy P25-per-kilo rice on Tuesday morning.

According to a GTV Balitanghali report, before the Kadiwa store at the Department of Agriculture central office along the Elliptical Road, Quezon City opened at 8 a.m., people were already lined up.

The queue had formed after the DA announced that the P25-per-kilo rice could only be bought until Friday.

One hour after the Kadiwa store was opened, the rice was sold out.

According to the supplier of the cheap Kadiwa rice, they could accommodate 120 customers. And each customer's purchase was limited to four kilos.

"Kulang eh, sa dami ng pumipila," said the supplier of P25 ric Jimmy Bistar in Bernadette Reyes' Tuesday 24 Oras report. "Ilang mga sako po yan today. Mag halos 30 na eh. Kasi nagdagdagdag ang pila, eh."

Bistar added, "Minsan sumosobra kasi ang dami nakikiusap. Syempre nakakaawa rin."

The supplier also said that the supply of cheap rice in their warehouse would last until August.

However, the P25 rice was not available in all Kadiwa stores.

At the Matandang Balara store, also in Quezon City, rice was sold at P44/kilo.

Meanwhile, the DA said they were speaking with cooperatives in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Cordillera so they could keep selling cheap rice.

The DA also issued a statement in which they said that the rice supply would for two more months after June, after which the supply would be replenished with importations and fresh harvests. — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News