BACOLOD City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he will ask the opinion of the City Legal Office (CLO) if they can sell the P20-per-kilo rice before the election.
This was after Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia earlier advised the government to defer the implementation of the project to avoid being accused of politicizing the rice rollout.
Benitez announced last week that the P20-per-kilo rice will be available in the city within this week.
“We will be guided, if the Comelec wants to stop selling rice at P20 per kilo then, we will do it after the election,” Benitez said.
However, he said that for now, he will refer it to the CLO if they can sell the rice before the election.
He added that they are only completing the program of works or documentary requirements for the purchase of rice to be sold at P20 per kilo.
The mayor noted that the rice will most likely be available at the Bacolod Government Center (BCGC) and selected barangays, particularly the larger ones.
Under the program, Benitez said each family will be allowed 10 kilos per week, with priority given to indigent families since it is still experimental.
The DA earlier announced the pilot launch of P20 per kilo of rice in the Visayas as one of the campaign promises of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the 2022 presidential race.
The Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), as the implementing arm of the DA for the sale of rice to the LGUs, will procure rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) at a price of P33 per kilo and sell the same to the local government units (LGUs) at a subsidized rate of P26.50 per kilo.
Consequently, the LGUs will resell the rice to their respective constituents at a subsidized rate of P20 per kilo. The subsidy of at least P13 per kilo will be equally shouldered by the FTI and the LGU concerned.
Benitez said the excess of P20 will be subsidized by the LGU and the National Government, which is P6.50 each.
He said the sale of rice will be led by the City Cooperative and Livelihood Development Office, adding that as of April 24, 2025, the existing rice inventory of the NFA Bacolod in 50-kilogram bags is 5,880. (MAP)