VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte underscored the significance of rice over love on Valentine's Day in a TikTok video posted on February 14, 2024.

Duterte said having rice is more crucial than love, emphasizing that love alone cannot buy essentials like rice.

“Kung naa kay gugma, pero wala kay pangpalit og bugas, mura kag nikaon og kare-kare na walay kan-on, mao na ang Valentine’s day (If you have love but lack the means to buy rice, it's like having kare-kare without rice – that sums up Valentine's Day),” she said.

Netizens playfully responded, asking how many sacks of rice one should buy before receiving love. 

In a Facebook post, Duterte urged Filipinos to celebrate love for their country alongside traditional expressions of affection like flowers and chocolates.

“This time of year presents us with an incredible opportunity to unify as a country, promoting an atmosphere of mutual understanding and cooperation. If we face our national challenges with an attitude of love, compassion, and unity, we create a hospitable environment for dialogue, cooperation, and breakthrough solutions,” she said.

She encouraged a united front to face national challenges, emphasizing that Filipinos' love for the Philippines should inspire civic responsibility. 

“May love serve as the driving force that inspires us to establish a nation rooted in justice, equality, and compassion,” she said.

As a child, wife, and patriotic Filipino, she called for unity in overcoming challenges, pledging to stand together in the face of any adversity. RGP