By Junex Doronio
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Not to be outdone by Cebu island province, Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has announced that starting December, Olango Island dwellers will be the first Lapu-Lapu City residents to get a chance to buy rice worth P20 per kilo.
Chan said the local government mulled to sell the P20 per kilo rice in Olango island where he garnered more “solid votes.”
On Tuesday, November 28, together with Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez who represented his first-degree cousin President Marcos Jr., Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia launched the “Sugbo Merkadong Barato” (SMB), a pop-up store that will be installed in all local government units (LGUs) in Cebu and sell rice at P20 per kilo for indigent families.
Chan has backed out from the longtime plan to push for a separate province that comprised the islands of Olango and Mactan, including the municipality of Cordova, apparently fearing to earn the ire of Garcia who balked at the idea.
Olango island, famous for its 920-hectare Wildlife Sanctuary which is a haven for migratory birds from Siberia, Northern China, and Japan, was once the strong bailiwick of Chan’s former patron, the Radaza political dynasty that ruled this highly urbanized city which has an international airport for 18 long years.
Chan is now building his own political dynasty, with wife Cindi as the representative of Lapu-Lapu City’s lone district and only daughter Daday as the barangay captain of Basak, the largest barangay.
The mayor disclosed that the city government is planning to procure 1,000 bags of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA).
He said even if the rice is worth P25 per kilogram, but the city will subsidize the P5 so they can sell them at P20 per kilo.
However, each person could only buy 3 kilos of rice in order that every Olango islander could avail the P20 per kilo of the staple food.
Chan added that the local government’s move is in line with the program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to realize a P20 per kilo of rice.
“We, the local government, maningkamot nga mapaabot nato ang Kadiwa ng Pangulo. Dunay program ang presidente, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., nga tag P25 per kilo, which the city will subsidize P5 per kilo. So with that, naa tay P20 per kilo ang atong bugas,” the mayor said.
Ironically, Chan is a strong supporter of the Duterte political dynasty that he even vowed to go bald if then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte would not run for president in 2022.
Chan broke his promise when the feisty Davao City mayor ran for vice president instead.
(ai/mnm)
