President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (center) and members of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate (Facebook)

With the May 12 elections just around the corner, House Speaker Martin Romualdez noted that a "working majority" in the Senate would be critical in ensuring the success of the Marcos administration's initiative of selling rice at P20 per kilo.

“Marami pa tayong batas na dapat ipasa para maipagpatuloy at mapalawig ang P20-rice program (We still have a lot of laws to pass in order to sustain and expand the P20-rice program),” said Romualdez, leader of the 300-strong House of Representatives.

The House along with the Senate comprise the bicameral Congress; filed measures or bills can only turn into laws by going through both chambers.

Romualdez is optimistic that Congress will be able to act swiftly on such proposed measures.

“Kapag nagtagumpay ang Alyansa sa Senado, mas madali nating maisusulong ang mga reporma sa logistics, farm support, at digital subsidies na magtitiyak na hindi pansamantala kundi pangmatagalan ang tagumpay na ito—para sa magsasaka, para sa mamimili, at para sa buong bayan.

(If the Alyansa succeeds in the Senate, we would easily be able to push for reforms in logistics, farm support, and digital subsidies, which would ensure that this success is not temporary but long-lasting—for the farmers, for the consumers, and for the entire nation.)

The administration-backed Alyansa slate is composed of former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III; former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos; former Senators Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao; Senators Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; House Deputy Speaker Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar; and House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo. 

President Marcos earlier instructed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to begin selling rice at P20 per kilo across Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas starting next week. This was in fulfilment of his campaign promise back in 2022.

“The President has cleared the path. Congress will help him pave and widen that road so no Filipino family is left behind. Sa sipag ng magsasaka at disiplina ng bayan, darating ang araw na ang gutom ay alaala na lang at ang abot-kayang bigas ay karapatan at natatamasa ng lahat,” said Romualdez, arguably Marcos' top lieutenant.

(With the diligence of farmers and the discipline of the people, the day will come when hunger is just a memory, and affordable rice becomes a right.)