Cebu holds ceremonial selling of P20/kg of rice

Transcript

00:00 After the President hinted on rice at 20 pesos a kilo last year, many wondered if he was

00:05 serious or saying it tongue-in-cheek.

00:07 Well, it has come into fruition today in the Queen City of the South.

00:13 But as PTV's Jesse Atienza reports, there is great wonder whether coverage for this

00:18 godsend will extend elsewhere, especially in the mega-city where rice prices allegedly

00:24 are poised to surge.

00:29 The province of Cebu formally launches the first ever selling of the 20 pesos per kilo

00:34 of rice.

00:35 This is one of the promises made by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his campaign.

00:40 That promise is now a reality.

00:43 Other than rice, agricultural products like vegetables and fruits are also being sold

00:48 at lower prices in Sugbo Mercadong Barato.

00:52 Barato means cheap or affordable.

00:54 The Sugbo Mercadong Barato that we launch here today is again not a dole out.

01:05 But it allows the poorest of the poor to stretch their 100 pesos.

01:14 In partnership with the NFA, the province of Cebu decided to subsidize.

01:22 House Speaker Martin Romualdez graces the ceremonial rice selling together with the

01:27 other representatives and local chief executives of Cebu province.

01:31 "Saralangang 20 pesos bawad kilo.

01:33 Ito talaga ang hangarin ng ating mahalang presidente.

01:36 At sa toto lang po, maraming yung nagsasabi, imposible yan na nanaginip lang ng si presidente.

01:47 But as Cebu has done, as it has done many times in the past, it has made dreams a reality.

01:55 And you, governor, all of you, the congressmen, the board members and the mayors have made

02:01 this dream possible.

02:03 I congratulate you and I applaud all of you because indeed."

02:09 One of those who waited for this program to be realized is Mari Lu.

02:12 "Ang mahal ng bugas ngayon, katulad namin pito kami."

02:17 "At least malaking tulong."

02:19 "Oo po, malaking tulong."

02:21 "Ano po yung pumabasok sa isi?"

02:23 "Nagpapasalamat po ako."

02:25 Several government agencies also contributed in making the aspiration of the president a

02:30 reality.

02:31 The House leader also pledged to help sustain the program.

02:34 From PTV Cebu, Jesse Atienza, for the Nation.