Vice President Sara Duterte donned a black shirt on Friday, sending a powerful message of solidarity with Filipinos she said were “fooled” by the government’s halted rice subsidy program in Cebu.
“Kaya ako nakaitim ngayong araw na ito,” she declared in Zamboanga City, “dahil nalulungkot talaga ako, nagluluksa kasi pinaglalaruan yung mga taong walang-wala, yung mga mahihirap.” Her words cut deep: this wasn’t just disappointment—it was mourning. The poorest of the poor were playing pawns, she said.
Duterte didn’t mince words, condemning the repeated exploitation of Filipinos’ desperation, hunger, and poverty. “Hindi lang isang beses, hindi lang dalawa… paulit-ulit na sinasamantala.”
The Department of Agriculture launched the P20-per-kilogram rice program in Cebu Thursday, sparking long lines of eager buyers. But the celebration was short-lived. Under orders from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the rollout was paused to avoid political misuse ahead of the May 12 midterm polls.
This affordable rice initiative aimed to help vulnerable groups—senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities. But critics, including Duterte, argue it’s more an election gimmick than genuine aid.
Last month, she bluntly dismissed the program as a campaign ploy to boost Marcos administration’s senatorial bets. Her stance hasn’t changed. “Hindi nila kayang ibigay nang totoo yung P20 ang kilo ng bigas,” she insisted. “Tinigil nila ‘yan kasi alam nila hindi nila kayang ibenta.”
The Vice President also sounded a stark warning against vote-buying. She recalled how in past elections, people accepted sums from P100 to P1,000. Yet the country’s problems persist—and worsen. Illegal drugs, crime, hunger, and poverty continue to grip the nation.
“Ganito pa rin ang bayan natin, mas malala pa yung problema natin ngayon,” Duterte said, a raw reminder that real change requires more than money exchanged on election day. The country deserves better than hollow promises and broken hopes.