The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has officially granted an exemption to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) P20-per-kilogram rice program, allowing the project to proceed despite the election spending ban in effect for the May 2025 midterm polls.

The clearance, approved under Comelec Resolution No. 11060 as amended by Resolution No. 11118, was confirmed in a memorandum signed by Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia on Friday. 

The approval was based on the recommendation of the poll body's Law Department, allowing the DA’s initiative — part of its ongoing rice distribution and poverty alleviation operations — to continue without violating Section 261 (V) of the “Omnibus Election Code.”

"We have granted an exemption to the DA. We believe this kind of program will be well-implemented and beneficial," Garcia said in a separate interview with dzBB on Wednesday, adding that while the DA has been granted an exemption, local government units (LGUs) involved must file their own requests for clearance. 

“The DA's exemption is separate. If an LGU is contributing to the cost, they must seek a separate Comelec exemption,” he stressed.

"If the rice costs P33 and P13 is shouldered by FTI and the LGU, it means they’re contributing P6.50, which requires a separate exemption," he added. 

Garcia further emphasized that the program must not be politicized: “Rice should not be used for campaigning. That is a clear violation of election rules.”

Launch set for Cebu and Kadiwa Centers

The P20/kg rice initiative is set to launch in the Visayas, beginning May 1 in Cebu and expanding to Kadiwa centers on 2 May. It fulfills President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2022 campaign promise to make rice more affordable for poor Filipino families.

Each eligible household may purchase up to 10 kilograms per week, or 40 kilograms per month, at the subsidized price. The program, with a budget of P5 billion, will run until 2028 and will be rolled out nationwide once logistical hurdles are resolved.

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa explained that the Visayas region was prioritized due to its high poverty rates and persistently elevated rice prices, particularly in Cebu province.

In a separate interview, de Mesa confirmed that the department had been awaiting Comelec’s clarification to ensure that the program could start without violating election guidelines. “We wanted to be certain we were compliant with Comelec provisions, especially with the 2 to 12 May restriction period,” he said.

In case no further clarifications are received for certain areas, de Mesa assured the public that implementation will resume immediately after the election period: “This program is ongoing. Even if not launched now in certain LGU areas, it will definitely continue post-election.”