Manila, April 25 -- Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates on Friday dubbed as uncalled for Vice President Sara Duterte's claim that the implementation of the PHP20/kg. rice program, set for rollout in the Visayas by next week, is "too little, too late".

"Well, may kasabihan na 'better late than never', hindi ba? Better late than never. At tsaka maaaring noong umpisa hindi nila alam kung paano gagawin, 'di ba (Well, there's a saying 'better late than never', right? Better late than never. And besides, they probably didn't know how to do it at first, right)?" former Senate president Tito Sotto said.

Asked about suspicions surrounding the program's timing, Sotto added: "You will never be able to please everyone. The impor...