Photos misused to depict P20/kilo rice as chicken feed

A Facebook fan page impersonating “Kitty Duterte” has posted a misleading compilation of photos to mock and discredit the government’s P20 per kilo rice, sarcastically labeling it as “dolomite sand” and suggesting it was suitable only as animal feed.

The caption of the May 2 post read:

P20/KILO DOLOMITE SAND ESTE RICE. Pwede ng pamalit sa GMP MIX. (Patuka)(P20/KILO DOLOMITE SAND—RICE. Can be used as a replacement for GMP MIX. (Chicken feed))

The post ridiculed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign promise by portraying the subsidized rice as inedible and only fit for poultry. However, it failed to disclose that the photos came from two Facebook pages.

The subsidized rice was launched on May 1 by the Department of Agriculture but was quickly withdrawn from sale due to the Commission on Elections’ ayuda ban for the election period.

A Google reverse image search confirms the first photo was taken from a Superbalita Davao’s May 1 post about the launch of P20 rice in Cebu. The image showed bags labeled with President Marcos’ image and slogan “P20 Benteng Bigas Meron Na (PBBM), A PROMISE FULFILLED.”

The second photo showing discolored, low-quality rice grains came from another page, “Pinas Ang Ina Niyo,” which also sarcastically labeled it “dolomite sand.” That post gained over 10,000 reactions, 3,600 comments and 1,200 shares. 

However, it offered no proof that the rice shown was from the government’s P20/kilo program. Other sources like GMA Network and Superbalita Davao show rice of better quality.

The Kitty Duterte page impersonates Veronica Duterte, the younger daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is detained at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.

Rodante Marcoleta, a senatorial candidate under Duterte’s PDP–Laban party and currently ranked sixth in the partial unofficial tally of the May 12 elections, had criticized the rice subsidy, calling it an election gimmick and questioning the suspicious timing of its rollout in Visayas.

Meanwhile, labor leaders and Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) senatorial bets Leody de Guzman and Luke Espiritu, both currently trailing in the senatorial race, had also voiced their opposition, labeling the program “unsustainable” and a form of “tokenism.”

As of this writing, the misleading post has garnered 2,000 reactions, 559 comments and 178 shares. The page was created last March 11 and has 148,000 followers. (DA)