Manila, April 25 -- The government's initiative to provide rice at PHP20 per kilo to more Filipinos across the country may be an effective alternative to direct cash transfers.

Providing affordable rice directly addresses hunger and ensures that assistance reaches the dining tables of Filipino families, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a press release Friday.

This approach, he added, guarantees that government support translates into actual food security for the public.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced the pilot launch of rice at PHP20 per kilo in the Visayas, in line with the food security, accessibility and affordability targets of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Under the proposed p...