Various groups called the latest Marcos regime scheme to lower the price of rice to ₱20/kilo in the Visayas during the election period a “band-aid solution” and “election gimmick.” According to them, the people are already fed up with the regime’s token and election “gimmicks.”

“This will not be sustainable and effective in providing a solution to the severe rice crisis,” according to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

“The DA (Department of Agriculture) will possibly sell imported rice. If this is just like previous programs, its effect on consumers will not really be different and it will only worsen the situation of farmers,” KMP chairperson and Makabayan senatorial candidate Danilo Ramos said.

Prior to this, the regime implemented the Food Security Emergency Declaration, Maximum Suggested Retail Price, Nutri-Rice, Sulit-Rice, and others, all of which were short-term and experimental solutions.

Worse, this results in an even greater drop in the farmgate price of palay from local farmers. In Leyte, for example, the palay farmgate price is now only at ₱12 to ₱14 per kilo, even cheaper than the price of darak (rice bran).

The farmers are already squeezed and extremely burdened as they are, and now, they will forced even more to sell at a loss,” Amihan secretary general and Gabriela Women’s Party second nominee Cathy Estavillo said. Estavillo is also the spokesperson of the Bantay Bigas network.

Farmers are aware of the political motives behind this scheme, especially since it will first be implemented in Cebu.

“Implementing this first in Cebu means a campaign and political motive is clear, as the region is vote-rich and has many pro-Duterte supporters,” Ramos said.

According to the SUKI Network, the government should take measures beyond these “gimmicks,” such as removing value-added tax on products and stopping the privatization of services and utilities to lower prices and fees. More than this, developing local industries and supporting local agriculture should be emphasized to alleviate the poverty suffered by the people.