‘Low-quality rice’ sold to recipients

A resident shows the alleged low quality rice that they got during the distribution of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Sta. Fe, one of the town in Bantayan Island (CDN PHOTO/Lito Tecson)

4Ps beneficiaries claim they were not allowed to leave until their cash was changed to rice coupons

Beneficiaries of the government’s Pamilyang Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) conditional cash transfer program in Santa Fe town, Bantayan Island, claimed that they were threatened by officials into buying low-quality rice.

A fisherman from Barangay Okoy, who requested for anonymity, claimed that they were threatened by the officials who distributed the financial assistance during the June 19 distribution.

“Ila kami giingnan nga kung dili mi mokuha atong coupon, ipatawag nila sa ilahang opisina (They threatened us that if we will not get the coupon, they will have us called to their office),” he said.

The conditional cash transfer program is implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Santa Fe Mayor Jose Esgana denied reports that they had a hand in distributing the rice to the beneficiaries.

The regional office of the National Food Authority (NFA-7) said they will send the samples of alleged fake rice to their central office for lab examination.

In an interview, the Santa Fe fisherman said every beneficiary receives P1,200 cash for two months’ worth of rice subsidy. After being validated, he said the officials exchanged the P1,200 for coupons.

“Kadtong coupon mao to magsilbi nga pailisan sa bugas nga ilahang giandam (The coupon will be given in exchange for the rice they provided),” he said.

A trisikad driver in Barangay Talisay said it was the first time in his five years as a beneficiary that they were forced to buy rice from officials in charge of distributing rice.

“It’s better if the rice they gave is of high quality. They told us it’s worth P48 per kilo, but it seems they are lying because it was not even a class A rice,” the driver said.

The residents said they were not allowed to leave after receiving the money without buying the rice from the officials.

But Mayor Esgana said a DSWD memo stated that rice traders accredited under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) will distribute the rice. “We don’t have any control of the payout and even the distribution,” Esgana said.

Allegations of fake rice being distributed to 4Ps beneficiaries in Santa Fe town went viral in social media and prompted investigations from the DSWD, the NFA, the Santa Fe municipal government and the province.

DSWD information officer Leah Quintana said they didn’t distribute the rice, which the NFA confirmed.

“If the DSWD is distributing rice, it has to have the label of the NFA on it,” NFA regional information officer Olma Marie Bayno said in a phone interview.

“We have not obtained any samples from the DSWD. The samples came from the local government as well as from the beneficiaries. They gave us both cooked and uncooked rice,” Bayno said.

Bayno said the samples of alleged fake rice will arrive in Cebu City today. The samples will be sent to the Food Development Center for examination.