Manila, April 24 -- Malacanang on Thursday pushed back against Vice President Sara Duterte's criticisms of the rollout of PHP20-per-kg. rice in the Visayas, accusing her of sowing division and undermining the administration's efforts to improve the lives of Filipinos.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, speaking at a press briefing in Malacanang, defended the program, a key campaign promise of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and called out Duterte's remarks as an example of "crab mentality" at work.

"Ang tunay na lider - at tunay na Pilipino - ay dapat sumusuporta sa kapwa Pilipino, lalung-lalo na sa pinuno ng bansa (A true leader - and a true Filipino - should support fellow Filipinos, especially the leader of the country)," Castro ...