DA: P20/kilo rice remains a gov't aspiration

President Marcos' election campaign pitch of P20 per kilo of rice remains an aspiration of the government, a Department of Agriculture (DA) official said.

- BELLA CARIASO

"The P20 per kilo of rice is still the aspiration and goal of the department (even if) at present it is difficult to achieve," Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said over the weekend.

Marcos campaigned partly on a platform of cutting rice prices to P20

a kilo during the 2022 presidential race. He later clarified that it was merely an "aspiration." "Our plans and activities are geared toward reducing the cost to produce and for us to be competitive in the future. If our neighboring countries can bring down the cost of production, we will also do it," De Mesa added.