House Speaker Martin Romualdez distributes rice to locals in Sultan Kudarat (Speaker’s office)

To Sultan Kudarat natives, Martin Romualdez isn't just the Speaker of the House--he is also "Mr. Rice". 

Romualdez was given this name by Sultan Kudarat Governor Pax Mangudadatu following the distribution of rice, cash, and food packs under the Cash and Rice Distribution Program (CARD) and the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) held simultaneously in the province Sunday, Feb. 25. 

“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 said in a speech. 

(This is the biggest distribution of rice in the history of our province, so if you don't mind, aside from Mr. Speaker, I would also like to call you 'Mr. Rice'.) 

More than 500,000 kilograms of rice--the Filipjnos' staple food--were distributed to over 28,000 local residents Sunday. 

A joint project of Romualdez, the House of Representatives, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), CARD was crafted in response to President Marcos' challenge to the Speaker to provide rice assistance to the poor delivered through legislative districts. 

“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," said Romualdez in his speech during he program held at the Sultan Kudarat State University in Tacurong City. 

(Through this program and others in the future, President Bongbong Marcos Jr. extends his compassion to his fellow Filipinos here Mindanao.) 

“Ang bigas ay buhay, at alam ito ng pamahalaan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. ...Sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas movement, wala pong maiiwan, lahat kasama sa pag-unlad,” he added. 

(Rice is life, and the administration of President Marcos Jr. knows this....Under the Bagong Pilipinas movement, nobody gets left behind, we achieve progress together.) 

Mangudadatu thanked the House leader for the service caravan and rice distribution programs in his province. He also assured Romualdez of Sultan Kudarat's backing of the Bagong Pilipinas under President Marcos and its vision for peaceful and progressive Philippines. 

Around 18,000 individuals in the province received rice and cash package under CARD. Under the program, the DWSD gives each beneficiary P2,000 worth of aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), broken down as P1,000 in cash aid and P1,000 in the form of a 25-kilogram sack of rice. 

“We are grateful to the DSWD for cooperating in this program that benefits thousands of Filipinos, especially those who come from vulnerable sectors,” Romualdez said. 

Meanwhile, as part of the PBSF service caravan, around 10,000 qualified individuals in the province also received 10 kilos of rice each, or a total of 100,000 kilograms, along with food packs worth P700 each.