
More than 28,000 residents of Sultan Kudarat get free rice, Speaker Romualdez nicknamed Mr. Rice
OVER 28,000 residents of Sultan Kudarat have received a total of 500,000 kilos of rice, along with cash assistance and food packs, under the Cash and Rice Distribution Program (CARD), a program of the Marcos administration.
The launching of the CARD program and Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) was held simultaneously in Sultan Kudarat on Sunday.
CARD is a joint project of the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It was crafted in response to Pres. Marcos’ challenge to the House to provide rice assistance to poor Filipinos.
“Sa pamamagitan nito at iba pang programang pinatutupad ng pamahalaan, ipinaaabot ng ating mahal na Pangulong Bongbong Marcos Jr. ang kanyang malasakit sa mga kapwa niya Pilipino dito sa Mindanao – na kahit malayo man kayo, ay malapit pa din po kayo sa kanyang puso at isipan,” Speaker Romualdez said in his speech at the opening of the program, held at the Sultan Kudarat State University in Tacurong City.
“Sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas movement, wala pong maiiwan, lahat kasama sa pag-unlad,” Speaker Romualdez added.
For his part, Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Mangudadatu thanked Speaker Romualdez for the service caravan and rice distribution programs in their province. The governor assured that Sultan Kudarat is supporting the Bagong Pilipinas under Pres. Marcos and his vision to have a peaceful and progressive Philippines.
“Ito na po ang pinakamalaking distribution ng bigas sa kasaysayan ng aming probinsya, kaya kung mamarapatin po ninyo maliban sa Mr. Speaker, nais ko kayong tawaging Mr. Rice,” Mangudadatu added.
Around 18,000 individuals in the province received rice and cash package under CARD. Each beneficiaries, identified by the DSWD, will be given P1,000 cash and 25-kilos of rice amounting to P1,000 or a total of P2,000.
“We are grateful to the DSWD for cooperating in this program that benefits thousands of Filipinos, especially those who come from vulnerable sectors,” according to Speaker Romualdez.
“Ang bigas ay buhay, at alam ito ng pamahalaan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. Kaya naman tayo po ay nakaisip ng isang programang magbibigay ng bigas sa ating mga kababayan alinsunod sa kanyang naging hamon. At para sigurado na walang maiiwan, gagawin natin ito per district ng Kongreso,” added the leader of Congress, which has more than 300 strong members.
As part of the BPSF, around 10,000 qualified individuals were also given 10 kilos of rice or a total of 100,000 kilo, along with P700 worth of food pack.
“This is the value we place on rice distribution to the sectors who need them. Kasama na dito ang ating mga senior citizens, PWDs, solo parents at indigenous peoples (IPs), para maramdaman nila na nandito ang kanilang pamahalaan na handang tumulong sa lahat ng oras,” said Romualdez, who is one of the primary proponents of CARD program.
“Makakaasa ang ating mga kababayan na patuloy pa tayong maghahanap ng programa at paraan para isabuhay ang adhikain ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na maglunsad ng mga epektibong proyekto para matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga mamamayan,” he added.
The CARD program, which was initiated last year, aims to bring the help of the government to the congressional district.
It was started in Metro Manila which has 33 legislative districts, as well, as in Biñan City and Sta. Rosa, in Laguna.
According to Speaker Romualdez, the initiative was in response to the increasing price of rice in the market.
Aside from helping those affected by the high price of rice, the program also aims to stop hoarding and manipulation of rice prices in the market.
Meanwhile, Speaker Romualdez, along with Gov. Mangudadatu, Rep. Princes Rihan Sakaluran and other lawmakers, led the opening of Romualdez building in Sultan Kudarat State University, where a medical school of the university will be located.