Baste questions P20-rice implementation

ACTING Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte questioned the availability of the much-publicized ₱20-per-kilo rice, saying it remains largely inaccessible to the public, and that truly helping Filipinos means giving rice for free to those in need.

Speaking during the Basta Dabawenyo podcast on Sunday, August 3, Duterte said the rice sold at “Kadiwa sa Pangulo” outlets is subsidized and not reflective of actual market prices.

“Eh di sige sabihin natin nakuha mo yung P20 bigas para lang, i-confine natin sa P20 bigas na sinabi niya, well nagawa mo rin naman talaga pero you know does it really reflect kung ano yung economy natin in terms of the price of rice (Alright then, let’s say you managed to get the ₱20 rice — let’s just confine the discussion to the ₱20 rice he mentioned. Sure, you were able to do it, but you know, does it really reflect the state of our economy when it comes to the price of rice?)," he said during the Basta Dabawenyo Podcast on Sunday, August 3, 2025.

Duterte argued that if the government truly wants to subsidize rice, it should distribute it for free, especially to low-income families. He added that the president’s campaign promise could only become a reality if the economy improves, stressing that stronger infrastructure is key to economic mobility and reducing food prices.

He also pointed out that subsidized rice still comes at a cost to the public, since taxpayers ultimately foot the bill. While acknowledging the Marcos administration’s focus on agriculture, Duterte said more budget should have been allocated to farming programs to help local farmers increase production and bring down prices.

He suggested expanding rice subsidies to cover all rice brands so consumers can consistently access rice at ₱20 per kilo, which would build public trust in the program.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his campaign promise during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), insisting the ₱20-per-kilo rice is still achievable without hurting local farmers. He said ₱13 billion has been allocated to boost the Department of Agriculture’s rice program.

The program was officially launched on May 1 as a pilot in selected areas in the Visayas, identified by the DA as high-need zones. It uses the National Food Authority’s (NFA) buffer stock and purchases fresh palay at ₱18 per kilo and dry palay at ₱19 to ₱23 per kilo from local farmers. RGP