President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., together with Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, distributed premium quality rice to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte on Friday, 29 September.

Around 2,265 sacks of premium rice confiscated by the Bureau of Customs were handed over by President Marcos and Gatchalian to 4Ps beneficiaries from the island.

DSWD Undersecretary for Operations Group Monina Josefina Romualdez also assisted the President and the DSWD chief in the distribution of rice to the recipients.

According to President Marcos, the distribution of rice to poor households is in line with the government's effort to end hunger in the country.

"Isa ito sa mga hakbang na ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan upang maibsan ang gutom ng mga mamamayan sa buong bansa (This is one of the steps being taken by our government to alleviate hunger among the people throughout the country.)," President Marcos emphasized.

As the concurrent head of the Department of Agriculture, the President also said part of his duty is to ensure food security and a good supply chain in the country by addressing the issues of hoarding and smuggling.

"Ang mga gawain na iyan [hoarding and smuggling] ay nagpapataas ng presyo ng bigas. Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit ang bigas biglang tumaas ang presyo (Those activities [hoarding and smuggling] contribute to the increase in rice prices. That is the reason why the price of rice suddenly went up.)," President Marcos pointed out.

"Katungkulan ko na pagandahin ang supply ng pagkain at tiyakin na kahit sapat ang supply, na ang presyo naman ay nasa tama para hindi nahihirapan ang taumbayan (It is my duty to improve the food supply and ensure that even with sufficient supply, the price is reasonable so that the people do not suffer.)," the President said.

President Marcos assured the beneficiaries that the government would continue to find ways to achieve the "Walang Gutom 2027" campaign of the DSWD by the end of his term.

"Patuloy po kami na naghahanap ng bago, ng kahit anong magagawa upang tumulong sa inyo, na maabot natin, ang aking pangarap na wala nang gutom sa Pilipinas (We continue to look for new ways, anything we can do to help you, to reach my dream of no more hunger in the Philippines.)," the President said.

The distributed rice in Siargao Island is part of the more than 42,000 bags of Jasmine rice seized by the BOC during its warehouse raid in Zamboanga City last May, which was later donated to the DSWD for distribution to the "poorest of the poor".