Story by Kaiser Jan Fuentes.

CEBU CITY — Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has temporarily suspended the sale of P20-per-kilo rice under the provincial government’s Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB) program.

She said this just two days after publicly asserting that Cebu’s implementation of the program will continue despite the order from the Department of Agriculture to defer its rollout after the election period.

In a press conference at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Saturday, the governor said the pause will remain in effect until after the May 12 national and local elections or until the Commission on Elections (Comelec) issues a definitive ruling on the matter.

“I’m hoping that I can get a definitive position from the Comelec,” Garcia said, referring to the rice subsidy program initially cleared by the poll body for implementation in Cebu during the campaign season.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia clarified that all forms of financial assistance are prohibited during the election period from May 2 to 12, with the exception of medical and burial aid.

Lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, a consultant for the Provincial Capitol, said the governor made the call to suspend the initiative out of prudence, not because of any wrongdoing.

“The term is not to discontinue, but to defer it for now while we are checking on it … We have to be clear about it,” Sepulveda said.

The SMB program, launched on May 1, is the first local government-led effort aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s promise to bring rice prices down to P20 per kilo.

Cebu’s initiative involves buying rice from the National Food Authority and selling it to the public at a subsidized price, with safeguards to prevent hoarding of stocks.

Earlier this week, Garcia insisted that the program would proceed as planned due to a prior Comelec exemption.

She noted that the rice was not being given away for free, but sold under strict guidelines, and that political candidates were barred from participating in distribution activities.

She made the decision following Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.’s announcement that the DA would suspend the nationwide rollout of its own Kadiwa ng Pangulo P20 (KnP20) rice sales to comply with Comelec guidelines.

Laurel said that despite Cebu’s exemption, the DA preferred to postpone implementation to avoid legal complications. But on Saturday, Garcia reversed her position and said the Provincial Capitol would temporarily stop the sale of subsidized rice, pending further clarification.

Officials said the province remains ready to resume the P20-per-kilo rice sale on May 13 or one day after the midterm elections.

Meanwhile, residents in Mandaue City and other localities have urged local governments to continue pushing for public distribution of the subsidized rice, citing its importance to low-income families struggling with rising food costs.

Garcia previously called on other Visayan governors to seek similar Comelec exemptions to continue their own rice subsidies.

“Let us not prolong the suffering of the Filipino people. They’ve been waiting for this for too long and every day is precious to them.”

Published Date: May 4, 2025