Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has assured citizens that the government's initiative to offer rice at PHP20 per kilo is a permanent program and will soon be accessible in more public markets across the country.
According to Philippines News Agency, the program is currently being implemented through Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets to support vulnerable populations. This effort is part of the administration's strategy to provide affordable food and bolster the agriculture sector by fostering collaboration between national and local governments.
Marcos emphasized the sustainability of the initiative, known as "Benteng Bigas Meron na! (BBM)," which was one of his campaign promises aimed at easing the impact of rising food prices. The PHP20/kg rice is currently available to senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, indigent families, and minimum wage earners, with the goal of reaching one million beneficiaries by the end of the year.
With new national and local officials assuming office on June 30, Marcos encouraged a focus on service delivery and collaboration between local and national governments to benefit the public.
To address concerns about potential negative impacts on farmers due to low rice prices, Marcos reiterated that safeguards are in place. The National Food Authority (NFA) is tasked with purchasing wet palay at PHP18 per kilo and dry palay at PHP19 to PHP23 per kilo, ensuring that farmers receive fair compensation.
Additionally, rice processing facilities and dryers are being rolled out nationwide to enable farmers to store and process their harvests, reducing dependency on selling to traders at lower prices.
Marcos reaffirmed his administration's commitment to building a resilient agricultural system to ensure food security, covering all stages from farm production to retail. Recently, the President launched the program at Zapote Public Market in Bacoor, Cavite, marking a significant expansion of the initiative, which was initially piloted in the Visayas in May.
According to the Department of Agriculture's Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, the program has already benefited over 105,000 families in Luzon and the Visayas, distributing more than 804,000 kilos of rice between May 13 and June 30. As of now, 94 outlet sites have been established nationwide.
