Mayor says no one in town fell ill after eating ‘fake rice’

Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island Mayor Jose Esgana denied allegations that six people in his town were treated after after eating alleged fake rice.

Esgana said that only two kids suffered from stomachaches, but he denied their ailments were due to eating alleged fake rice.

This, despite the statement of Dr. Shein Ernacio of the Sta. Fe Municipal Government that six people approached the town’s health office after suffering from stomachaches after eating alleged fake rice.

Esgana said he also personally tested the rice that was eaten by those who reportedly claimed to have bought fake rice.

He said he suffered no adverse effect after eating the rice.

Esgana said they were able to identify some of the rice sellers whom the beneficiaries of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) and Pantawid Pam- ilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) approached after receiving their cash aid last Tuesday.

In their investigation last Wednesday, Esgana found out that beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Sustainable Livelihood Program were the ones allegedly selling rice outside the distribution area in Barangay Okoy.

Esgana said he was able to receive a memorandum from DSWD 7, encouraging beneficiaries of the MCCT and 4Ps to buy rice from sustainable livelihood program (SLP) members in Barangay Okoy after receiving their P600 rice payouts last Tuesday night.

The SLP, MCCT and 4Ps are flagship programs of the DSWD.

But he does not know whether the DSWD 7 implemented a “no rice, no exit” order on all MCCT and 4Ps beneficiaries.

SunStar Cebu tried to get the side of the DSWD on the issue but calls and text messages to their officials were unanswered as of this writing.

The National Food Authority (NFA) 7 is waiting for the rice samples collected from Sta. Fe for examination to determine if they are fake rice or not.

Olma Marie Bayno, NFA 7 public information officer, told SunStar Cebu that the will turn over the samples today.