Tacloban city: The rollout of the PHP20/kg. rice program has expanded in this city, making the staple food available at an affordable price to more residents belonging to the vulnerable sectors. On Friday, some 1,250 senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and indigent families from different villages in the city's San Jose district bought the cheap but quality rice at the Burayan Gymnasium under the 'Benteng Bigas Meron Na!' (BBM Na) program.
According to Philippines News Agency, this is the second release of affordable rice in Tacloban City. Francis Rosaroso, Department of Agriculture Regional Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division chief, stated that they expect more distribution in the future since there are already agreements to release 30,000 bags for Tacloban City alone.
Gemma Cayusa, a 50-year-old resident of Cogon village who does laundry jobs, expressed that the availability of affordable rice in their community is a significant economic relief for a single mother like her. She mentioned that her six children and she consume four kilos of rice and that it is very helpful as she spends a large portion of her income on buying rice. Cayusa earns PHP1,500 to PHP2,000 weekly.
The Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and the Tacloban City government, launched the distribution of cheap rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) on August 21, 2025, in Suhi village. Each consumer is allowed to buy up to 10 kg of rice to ensure that more families can avail the program. The government, through the FTI and the local government unit, provides a subsidy to allow the NFA to sell rice at just PHP20/kg.
City agriculturist Romelo Anade explained that they will sell affordable rice to communities before making the commodity available in Kadiwa stores. The distribution will be done in clustered villages to ensure everyone in the vulnerable sector can avail it, with announcements of the schedule of rice distribution in communities.
Aside from the vulnerable sector, the Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment, has also sold affordable rice to minimum wage earners in Ormoc City and Isabel town in Leyte. The PHP20/kg. rice is also available to small rice farmers and fisherfolk.
