Speaker Denies Involvement in Unauthorized ‘Romualdez Rice’ Distribution
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has spoken out, denying any involvement in the distribution of bags of one-kilo rice labeled with his surname. Romualdez stated that his office did not authorize the distribution, despite social media posts showing the supposed distribution of “Romualdez Rice” in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
During an ambush interview after meeting with rice industry stakeholders, Romualdez clarified, “we didn’t sanction that.” He emphasized the importance of providing rice at affordable prices to every Filipino table.
The issue arose as netizens shared photos claiming to have received the one-kilo bag of rice during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Tagum City, where Romualdez was present along with 167 House lawmakers overseeing the aid distribution.
Romualdez’s office reported that P913 million worth of government services and assistance were provided to Tagum and Davao del Norte residents during the BPSF held on June 21.
Critics have questioned the “Romualdez Rice” label, but supporters of Romualdez pointed out that larger quantities of rice, ranging from five to 25 kilograms, were distributed during the event in Tagum City.
Despite the controversy, the bags of rice distributed during the official BPSF program featured generic labeling and did not bear Romualdez’s name.
Furthermore, Romualdez and key members of the lower chamber have been actively participating in the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo events, including a recent one in Surigao del Sur where around P560 million worth of government services and assistance were provided to 90,000 residents.
This incident is not the first time House members have faced scrutiny for their roles in aid distribution programs. Former senator Panfilo Lacson raised concerns last February about lawmakers participating in the implementation of government aid programs, suggesting that such roles should be left to the executive branch.
Deputy Speaker Antonio Albano defended the presence of House lawmakers, stating that they were there for oversight purposes to ensure that assistance and other programs under BPSF reach their intended beneficiaries.
