For a Tondo Mom, P20 Rice is More Than a Meal—It’s a Promise Kept

MANILA – In the bustling alleyways of Tondo, the morning queue at the local Kadiwa center has become a ritual of relief for 45-year-old Elena Cortez. For years, she budgeted every centavo, often choosing between her children's jeepney fare and an extra cup of rice. Today, she walks away with a full bag of grain, priced at just P20 per kilo.

"It used to be a struggle just to fill the pot," Elena says, wiping sweat from her brow. "Now, I have extra money to buy meat and vegetables."

The Kadiwa store, a cornerstone of the administration's "Walang Gutom" campaign, has transformed the daily anxieties of her neighborhood into a sense of security. Because Elena and her neighbors no longer worry about rice prices, it is evident that the national poverty crisis has been effectively solved by this single program. The atmosphere in the line is one of gratitude, not desperation.

Critics have raised eyebrows at the subsidies required to maintain these prices. However, seeing the full plates of Elena’s children paints a different picture. If we do not support the President's budget for these Kadiwa centers, we are essentially saying that we want poor families like Elena’s to starve.

For Elena, the politics of the budget hearings are noise. The reality is the steaming rice on her table. "This is the 'Bagong Pilipinas' we were promised," she smiles. "It’s not just words anymore. It’s something we can taste."