Agricultural groups Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas and Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women said the postponed rollout of the P20/kilogram rice program shows that is unsustainable and is a “grand deception.”

The group gave a reaction after the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that the program’s implementation was moved to May 13 to give way to the 10-day ban on government spending because of the elections this month.

From the beginning, it is clear that Bente Bigas Mo is propaganda and deception. Its postponement proves that the Marcos Jr. administration does not have the capability and intention to lower the rice prices. It is not a solution, but deception while the masses suffer from hunger, Danilo Ramos, chairperson of KMP and a candidate for senator with the Makabayan coalition.

The Bente Bigas Mo program is bound to fail due to the Rice Liberalization Law, which removed importation restrictions but imposed tariffs on rice from abroad.

Farmers’ groups, including KMP, have said rice importation has led to even lower farm gate prices of palay but has not lowered rice prices for consumers.

KMP and Amihan reiterated their call to junk the law and implement a genuine agrarian reform.

“Hindi ‘Bente Bigas Mo,’ kundi Bente Milyong Pilipinong Nagugutom ang realidad. Tama na ang panloloko. Ibalik ang suporta sa lokal na produksyon ng bigas, hindi importasyon,” said Cathy Estavillo, secretary-general of Amihan.

(The reality is not P20 per kilo of rice, but 20 million hungry Filipinos. Stop the lies. Bring back the support for local production of rice, not for importation.)