Leviste offers rice assistance to families yet to receive government aid

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MANILA, Philippines — Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Legarda Leviste on Friday, May 22, announced that he would distribute one million sacks of rice to families in Batangas who have yet to receive government assistance.

Leviste made the announcement during the Kapihan ng Samahang Plaridel, where he raised concerns over the alleged discriminatory distribution of government aid in the province.

“I will give one million sacks of rice for all the families who have not yet received government aid in Batangas, because I am saddened by the discrimination in the distribution of government aid,” Leviste said.

“This is my personal contribution, at no cost to government. No need for people to wait for photo-ops, and no one will be excluded,” he added.

The lawmaker’s statement came weeks after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. launched the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” program on April 24, which promised rice distribution in every barangay.

According to Leviste, several barangays in his district were supposed to receive rice deliveries from the provincial government but the scheduled distribution was allegedly canceled despite claim stubs already being released to residents.

He said these barangays were also among the 84 barangays that allegedly did not receive the P200,000 assistance under the same program on April 24, even though checks had already been prepared two days earlier.

Leviste added that some barangay captains claimed they were informed by the provincial government that their areas were excluded due to “tampururot.”

“I hope my fellow politicians will find it in their conscience to stop discrimination in the distribution of government aid based on politics,” Leviste said.

“I am calling on local officials to work together to ensure that assistance reaches every family,” he added.

The distribution of the one million sacks of rice has already started, according to the lawmaker.

Last Monday, Leviste said he turned over 20,000 sacks of rice to parishes in Batangas City upon the recommendation of former Batangas Gov. Dodo Mandanas.

Another 20,000 sacks were also distributed to barangay health workers, tanods and other barangay functionaries in his district who were allegedly not included in the recent rice distribution by the provincial government.