19/08/2026
We are speaking today not just out of frustration, but out of genuine concern for the people who are supposed to benefit from government assistance.
Let us be honest: giving rice is supposed to be an act of service, not an exercise of power. It should be organized, transparent, fair, and based on a system that respects every person who is entitled to receive it.
But what happens when the distribution itself is unfair? What happens when there is no clear system, when some people are prioritized while others are left behind, with just a STAB!!
STAB that was given on the first batch of the release! And some were not able to get that STAB because the release day were working days.. are we supposed to miss work for this? Because authorization is not an option!
That is where the problem begins. How can you call it public service when you make people stand in extremely long lines for hours, under severe heat, hungry, exhausted, and sometimes even without knowing whether they will actually receive what they came for?
People are not numbers. They are human beings.
They have jobs to attend to. They have families to take care of. Some are elderly. Some are already struggling financially. And yet they are expected to spend hours standing in the heat just to receive something that was intended for them in the first place. And worst they will end up nothing on hand as they go home!!
And let’s set this straight:
the rice being distributed is not anyone’s personal property. It does not belong to the person handing it out. It belongs to the people—provided through public funds and government resources for the benefit of the community.
So nobody should act as if they are doing people a personal favor.
We should be grateful for government assistance, yes—but gratitude should never mean that we are expected to remain silent when something is clearly unfair.
What we need is an organized and systematic approch of distribution! LGU’s hired smart people with high calibre yet organizing such an activity was poor and unjust!
A proper list. Clear qualifications. Transparency. Equal treatment. Accountability. Those should be present and followed!
If you cannot implement a simple and fair system for distributing something as basic as rice, how can people trust you with bigger responsibilities?
We are not demanding something that does not belong to us. We are asking for what is rightfully intended for the people.
And we are not complaining simply because we want to complain. We are speaking because silence allows unfairness to become normal.
Do the job properly. Follow a fair system. Be transparent. Be accountable.
If this rice is meant for the people, then distribute it to the people—fairly, properly, and without discrimination.
That is not too much to ask.
That is the bare minimum of good governance.
-PLGBTA COUNCIL
