MANILA — ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro on Tuesday urged the House of Representatives to probe the allegedly inedible rice that the government distributed to teachers.
According to Castro, the party-list has received reports that rice giveaways in Nueva Ecija, Mindoro, Bacolod City, and Zamboanga del Norte “are inedible while the provisions for the rest of the regions have yet to be released.”
“Extremely late na nga ang pagbibigay ng rice allowance na ito ay halos bulok na at di makain yung ipinamigay na sa mga guro. Nakakainsulto naman ito sa mga kaguruan at bakit ganito ang nangyayari,” said Castro in a statement.
According to the ACT Teachers party-list, a House resolution seeking an inquiry is currently being drafted.
Castro said taxpayer money was wasted on the rice and that the House must investigate.
“Sa ganitong kalagayan ay dapat na kagyat na imbestigahan ito ng Kongreso pero dapat din na maibigay na ang rice assistance at tiyakin na angkop ang kalidad nito,” Castro ended.
The rice allowance had been part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Administrative Order No. 2, s. 2022, which he signed in December 2022.
“The rice allowance should have been distributed last year but it is already June 2023 and still the rice allowance are not fully distributed. Sa ilang mga rehiyon, pinapirma na ang mga guro sa acknowledgement receipt kahit hindi pa naibibigay ang bigas,” said Castro. (Jean Mangaluz © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
