Rice on every table
Beyond the sacks of rice, what touched many people was the message behind the gesture: the government is present, listening and compassionate
Daily TribuneBeyond the sacks of rice, what touched many people was the message behind the gesture: the government is present, listening and compassionate
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hands a 10-kilo rice pack to a Las Pinas City resident.
Photograph courtesy of Bongbong Marcos
There is something deeply comforting about seeing rice on every Filipino table.
For many families, a warm plate of rice is more than food. It is security. It is dignity. It is the quiet assurance that, at least for one more day, the family will not go hungry.
That is why public service becomes more meaningful when it reaches ordinary homes in practical and heartfelt ways.
Recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally came to Las Piñas to lead the distribution of rice assistance to 30,000 families under the Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program.
Held at the Aguilar Sports Complex, each family received the first of four tranches of 10 kilos of rice: a simple but important relief for many households facing the daily challenges of rising costs and uncertainty.
But beyond the sacks of rice, what touched many people was the message behind the gesture: the government is present, listening and compassionate.
I remember one elderly mother I met years ago during a community outreach. She held my hand tightly after receiving a small grocery bag and whispered, “Hindi po ito maliit para sa amin (This is not a small thing to us).” Those words stayed with me. Sometimes, what may appear ordinary to some can mean hope for a struggling family.
Generosity has never really been measured by size. It is measured by sincerity.
The program also ensured that no sector would be forgotten: senior citizens, solo parents, women, youth, LGBTQIA+, transport workers, and families most in need. In addition, the President turned over financial assistance amounting to P4 million to the city’s 20 barangays to support Presidential Scholars and community needs.
In his speech, the President recalled the overwhelming support he received from Las Piñas during the campaign. More importantly, he reassured the people that the government continues to look for ways to ease the burdens of everyday Filipinos.
His words reminded me of a beautiful Bible verse in Proverbs 22:9: “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
True generosity is not always grand. Sometimes it is simply making sure that a family has dinner tonight. Sometimes it is simply showing up. Sometimes it is listening.
For Mayor April Aguilar, the President’s visit had a deeply personal meaning. Her friendship with President Marcos spans nearly two decades, a relationship built not only on politics, but on trust, respect and a shared commitment to serve the people sincerely.
And perhaps that is what communities remember most through the years: leaders who are present not only during celebrations, but especially during difficult times.
As a mother, I understand the silent worries many parents carry every day: budgeting meals, paying bills, and making sacrifices quietly so their children can have a better future. That is why programs that bring immediate relief matter. They remind families that they are not alone.
At the heart of every act of service is compassion.
And when compassion reaches the dining tables of ordinary Filipinos, it becomes more than assistance. It becomes hope.
And in every home where rice is served with dignity and love, generosity continues to live.
