Comelec tells DA: Pause P20/kg rice project until end of Eleksyon 2025

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) Thursday to defer the rollout of the 20/kilo Rice Project amid the prohibition to the distribution of assistance (ayuda) 10 days ahead of Eleksyon 2025.

In a radio interview, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia urged the DA to temporarily halt the government’s reselling of P20 per kilo of rice until the end of the May 12 polls in a bid to prevent the program from being politicized or being used for campaigning.

“Ang sabi nga natin, pagkatapos ng araw na ito, medyo tigil muna bukas. Pupwede naman maituloy after ng May 12, kahit sa May 13 na lang uli sila magsimula ng murang bigas,” Garcia told Super Radyo dzBB.

(We are urging them to pause the rollout until May 13.)

The DA started the rollout the  pilot test of the P20-per-kilo rice initiative in Cebu earlier in the day. The ayuda ban of the poll body starts May 2 up to May 12, Election Day.

“Hindi po para ang Comelec maging hadlang sa tulong sa ating mga kababayan. Kaya lang ang sabi ng batas, hindi dapat nagagamit ang state resources para sa pamumulitika ng iba o para i-promote ang kandidatura ng iba,” Garcia said.

(We do not want to interfere with the social services but the law prohibits the politicizing of state resources.)

“Dapat ang ganito, nase-set aside ang politika para sa isang magandang programa,” he added.

(In cases like this, politics should be set aside for good programs.)

The Comelec earlier exempted the DA P20 per kilo Rice Project from the 45-day election spending ban ahead of the May 12 polls. In granting their request, the Comelec included additional guidelines for the exclusion, including the securing by local government units (LGUs) of separate certificates of exemption if they resell rice products at a lower price.

Other directives include that the distribution and sale of subsidized rice be conducted in public places and that media, civil society, and interest groups be allowed unrestricted access in the venue of the implementation

Under the Omnibus Election Code, violations of the prohibitions constitute election offenses, punishable by imprisonment of not less than one year, but not more than six years, among other penalties provided for by law. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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