Comelec thanks DA for halting P20/kg rice sale amid ayuda ban

Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia thanked Friday the Department of Agriculture for its decision to temporarily halt the sale of P20 per kilo rice for 10 days in deference to the ayuda ban.

"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa ating DA na makatapos tayo ng ating suhestyon na sana May 2 to May 12 ay walang ipapatupad na pagbebenta ng P20 na bigas. Napakagandang programa pero sabi natin makakapaghintay naman siguro ang programang yan. Kahit na May 13 hindi na kailangan kumuha pa ng exemption sa Comelec," Garcia told reporters.

“Sana ‘yung kahapon, okay na po 'yun. At least, alam na ng sambayanan na may ine-expect sila na P20 na bigas pagkatapos ng elections na pwede nilang mabili,” he added.

The DA announced Thursday that it is temporarily stopping the sale of the P20 per kilo rice until May 12 in compliance with the directives of the Comelec.

“Talagang nakatutok ang Pangulo sa proyektong ito, sinusuportahan niya ito tuloy-tuloy… To be on the safe side, [wala munang bentahan]. Siyempre, ayaw din naman naming makasuhan,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

Earlier, the Comelec announced the distribution of ayuda will be banned from May 2 to May 12, or ten days leading to the midterm elections.

Ayuda pertains to forms of cash assistance provided by the government. Garcia, in particular, said the 10-day ban covers Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), TUPAD, 4Ps, and the controversial Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP). However, medical and burial assistance is exempted from the ban.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro reiterated that the government would make this sustainable up to December of this year.

''According to the reports given to the President, the program can be sustained up to December of this year. And maybe by the following year, 2026, it will be considered or will be included in the budget,'' Castro said at a briefing.

She again warned the public not to believe in fake news about the P20 per kilo of rice. — AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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