DA suspends sale of P20/kg rice after first day rollout in Cebu

The first day of the rollout of the P20 per kilogram rice of the National Food Authority (NFA) in Cebu drew long lines of consumers on May 1, 2025.

However, the Department of Agriculture announced it is temporarily stopping the sale until the end of the 2025 election period in compliance with the directives of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

According to a "24 Oras" report by Alan Domingo on Thursday, only 10 kilograms were allowed to be sold for every consumer, which came from vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities.

“Ang gagawin ng NFA ngayon is mag-collaborate sa lahat ng source sa region para mag-augment para ma-sustain natin itong programa,” said NFA-7 acting regional manager Ovelito Baritua.

(What NFA will do now is to collaborate with all sources in the region to augment, so that we can sustain this program.)

On Thursday, a total of 500 sacks were released for sale in Cebu province.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the rollout of the P20-per-kilo rice project and clarified that no rice will be sold until the end of the 2025 elections in line with directives from the Comelec to stop the sale to prevent the program from being politicized or being used for campaigning.

“Talagang nakatutok ang Pangulo natin ng ating bansa sa proyektong ito, sinusuportahan niya ito tuloy-tuloy… To be on the safe side, [wala munang bentahan]. Siyempre, ayaw din naman naming makasuhan,” he said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News