The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has advised the Department of Agriculture (DA) to temporarily halt the ₱20-per-kilo rice initiative until after the May 12, 2025 elections, to avoid any potential use of the program for political campaigning.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, in a radio interview, urged the DA to resume the program only after the polls to ensure it remains nonpartisan. “We’re not stopping the aid,” Garcia clarified, “but the law requires that state resources must not be used to influence voters or promote candidates.”
The DA began pilot testing the program in Cebu on May 1. However, the “ayuda” (aid) distribution ban begins on May 2 and runs through Election Day, May 12.
Previously, the Comelec granted the DA an exemption from the 45-day election spending ban, but with conditions: local governments involved in rice resale must secure separate exemption certificates, and all distribution must occur in public venues with unrestricted media and civic access.
Violations of these rules are considered election offenses under the Omnibus Election Code and can lead to penalties including up to six years of imprisonment.