A vlogger is selling rice for just P20 per kilo, turning an idea during the election campaign into a reality.
Rechie Susarno, who runs the YouTube channel “Kakampink101,” has sold rice for P20 per kilo in Rizal and in his hometown in Taguig, and anyone can buy it regardless of political affiliation.
In an interview with Manila Bulletin, Susarno, who is from Taguig, said he got the idea when prices of basic commodities started increasing.
“Actually noon pong kasagsagan nang unang tumaas yung ating mga bilihin, nag-ano po ako kung paano po ako makatulong sa ating mga kababayan. (Actually, during the height of the increase in the prices of our commodities, I was already thinking how I can help our countrymen),” Susarno said.
He added, “Tapos nakita ko po yung P20 na usapin. So, sabi ko, parang gusto ko siyang gamitin bilang konsepto para sa advocacy na gusto kong gawin (I saw the issue of P20 . So I said i wanted to use it as a concept for my advocacy).”
Susarno said he is using his own money to buy rice, which costs about P40 to P45 per kilo and sells it at a loss at just P20 per kilo.
“Pag receive natin ng P20, allocated na po siya sa next community (When we receive P20, it is already allocated for the next community),” he said.
“Ang purpose talaga ay makatulong sa ating mga kababayan and to encourage ang ating mga public servant na kailangan mag-effort pa para mapababa yung mga bilihin. Siyempre yung bigas natin ay nakapabasic yan para sa Pilipino (The purpose really is to help our countrymen and to encourage our public servants to do more to bring down of commodities. Of course, rice is very basic for Filipinos),” he said.
He said he sells the rice to everyone, saying, “wala tayong pinipili (we don’t discriminate).”
“Ako bilang Kakampink, sila sinasabing pulahan but we embrace each other. At the end of the day, ang ginagamit ko po na ano dito ay iisa lang po ang ating kulay. Tayo po ay Pilipino (I, as a Kakampink; and those who are affiliated with the red, we embrace each other. At the end of the day, we only belong to one color. We are Filipinos,” he said, referring to former vice president Leni Robredo’s Kakampink and to the red color associated with the supporters of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He said 200 families have benefited from the P20-per-kilo rice to date.
Besides rice, Susarno has also started selling sardines for just P1 per can. A donor provided the funds for the sardines.
“Sabi niya sa akin, itong funds na ito, bumili ka ng sardinas at ibenta mo ng P1. Mismong yun pong nagdonate, siya po nagbigay ng instruction sa akin na ibebenta ng piso (The donor told me, with these funds, buy sardines and sell for P1. The donor actually was the one that gave me the instruction to sell it for P1),” he said.
His next item to sell is “tilapia” for which a donor also gave funds.
Susarno said he will continue to sell rice for P20 until Filipinos feel that the prices of commodities have gone down.
He said that besides helping Filipinos, it is also a reminder to government officials to pay close attention to the economy.