Will there be enough rice for Bagong Pilipinas?
When Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. campaigned for the Philippine presidency in 2022, a key promise was to lower the retail price of rice to P20 per kilo. This promise resonated deeply with the electorate, as rice is a staple in Filipino households, providing a major source of daily carbohydrate intake. At that time, rice prices hovered around 45-50 pesos per kilo, making the pledge for cheaper rice a welcome prospect for a population already battered by inflation.