BIZ BUZZ: Give P20/kg rice project a chance

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has appealed to skeptics to give the P20 a kilo rice project a chance to succeed for the sake of Filipino consumers.
In a recent press briefing, Tiu Laurel lamented that certain individuals were mixing toxic politics into the program that fulfills Mr. Marcos’ campaign promise to bring down rice prices.
“For me, my request is that they support it so that the implementation is smooth and everyone will benefit from this whatever political side you’re on. I’m not a politician so I don’t really care,” he said.
“Sana iwasan iyong fake news, iyong paninira. Huwag sanang sabotahin itong program na ito dahil makikinabang naman dito iyong taong bayan,” Tiu Laurel said.
(Let’s avoid fake news and slander. Let’s not sabotage this program because the Filipino people will benefit from it.)
Earlier, Tiu Laurel disclosed that the entire Department of Agriculture family was “deeply hurt” by Vice President Sara Duterte’s remarks on the quality of National Food Authority (NFA) rice to be sold under the project.
“Saying that the rice that NFA distributes is animal feed is an affront to the quality of rice our millions of hardworking farmers produce. This is false,” Tiu Laurel had said.