Bacolod City: More Filipinos will benefit from the government's PHP20 per kilogram rice program under the 'Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na' as it is now available in 87 locations in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday. This expansion follows the program's launch at Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) stores in three public markets in Bacolod City.

According to Philippines News Agency, the number of locations offering the affordable rice has surpassed the initial target of 55 KNP sites, as initially projected by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. In a statement, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra noted that the expansion of the BBM Na program would accelerate through inter-agency collaboration. She indicated that the number of sites would continue to grow, with plans to surpass 1,000 areas in the coming weeks with support from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

As of June 5, the DA reported that the rice is available in 19 KNP centers and pop-up stores in Metro Manila, with additional sites in Aurora, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija in Central Luzon; Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal in Calabarzon; and one each for Oriental and Occidental Mindoro in Mimaropa. For non-Kadiwa sites, nine more outlets in Metro Manila are offering the rice through the Food Terminal Inc.

Local government units have also partnered with the DA to make PHP20/kg rice accessible to more constituents. These areas include Pangasinan in Ilocos Region; multiple locations in Central Visayas, such as Tudela, San Francisco, and others; as well as Burgos public market, Libertad public market, and Bacolod Central Market in Bacolod, Western Visayas.