Abby Binay: `Why criticize P20/kg rice program? The people need help’

Senatorial candidate Abby Binay. File photo.

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan — The government is facing a scenario where it will be criticized whether it implements its latest P20-per-kilogram rice initiative, senatorial candidate and Makati Mayor Abby Binay said on Friday.

At the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas press briefing here, senatorial candidates were asked about Vice President Sara Duterte’s criticisms about the rice subsidy program, as she claimed that the initiative is too late and reeks of electioneering.

Binay, however, noted that it is perplexing why the government is still being criticized even if it has actively sought solutions to the rice price problem.

“The people need help.  The government is helping, but it is still criticized. Where should we stand?  This position is hard,” Binay said in Filipino.

“The timing is suspicious?  Will you tell the people that ‘we’ll just give these lower rice prices after the elections, because they might accuse us of politicking’?  That’s not how the government works,” Binay explained.

Regarding Duterte’s claim that the administration started selling their P20-per-kilogram rice in Visayas to cope with Alyansa’s low numbers in the region, Binay said she and former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III enjoy good ratings in the area.

Wooing candidates

Had President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration intended to woo voters into picking Alyansa bets, Binay said the administration should have picked Mindanao as the pilot area for implementation.

Mindanao is considered the bailiwick of the Dutertes, who hail from Davao City.

“Actually, it’s funny because I rank okay in Visayas.  If you say that it is for politics, the cheaper-priced rice should be distributed to Mindanao, if that is our intention.  But as far as I am concerned, personally, I and Tito Sen, in terms of the survey, we are okay in Visayas,” Binay explained.

“And I don’t think the President or the administration chooses it in such a way that they gauge where we are weak or strong.  I feel that the judgment call was based on who needs cheaper rice,” she added.

Another Alyansa bet, former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, said that nothing is too late when it comes to helping the people.

“When we seek to address poverty and hunger, nothing is too late, nothing is too little.,” he said.

Duterte, in an ambush interview on Wednesday, said that the administration is resorting to rice subsidies because they know that the Alyansa slate is performing badly in Visayas.

“You know that is just for the elections and for their senators who are part of their alliance to win,” she said in Filipino.

`I don’t know the motive’

“I don’t know what their motive is.  But yes, they are tricking the people with that P20 per kilo rice.  And you will be confused why Visayas only, aren’t the people from Luzon and Mindanao hungry also? […] Maybe they have problems with votes from Visayas,” she added.

Last Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. also announced the availability of P20 per kilogram of rice in Visayas, adding that this development came after President Marcos held a closed-door meeting with governors from the Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas.

READ: DA will start selling rice at P20 per kilo – Tiu Laurel

Earlier, Sotto also asked critics of the P20 per kilogram rice initiative if they would rather have these funds go to the pockets of corrupt officials instead of the people benefitting from it.

READ: Sotto claps back: Fund rice subsidy for people or lose it to corruption?

“There’s a saying that it’s better late than never, right?  And maybe they failed to figure this out immediately.  As I said earlier, there were concerns about the government shouldering subsidies for rice.  So what?  That should be the case, because that’s taxpayers’ money, it should be consumed by the people also,” Sotto said.

“Instead of being given to the corrupt officials.  Where do they want the funds to go, to the pockets of corrupt officials?  Let us give that subsidy to our people so that they would not go hungry and to reduce prices of goods,” he added.

Sotto also said that he enjoys good support from Visayas since Cebu is his home province.

“I know I’m strong in Visayas, I’m from that area eh,” Sotto said.