President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the launch of the P20 per kilo of rice in Bacoor, Cavite.
Marcos witnessed the selling of rice with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. at the Zapote Public Market.
Those who can avail of the P20 per kilo of rice are those from the vulnerable sector, including beneficiaries of the 4Ps, senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents.
Each buyer can avail of five to 10 kilos of rice.
A total of 500 sacks of rice—procured by the National Food Authority from local farmers—were delivered through the Department of Agriculture’s KADIWA ng Pangulo outlet at the public market.
The rice allotment is enough to allow 2,500 residents to purchase 10 kilos each at a subsidized price of P20 per kilo.
The President earlier explained why it took time for him to fulfill his campaign promise of P20 per kilo of rice, noting that the government needs to provide assistance first to the local farmers, including the provision of machinery.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) initially implemented the sale of rice at P20 per kilo in the Visayas region. According to the DA, Marcos wants it to be implemented across the country in the long run.
The second phase, which will commence this month, will be in the Mindanao region.
The rice sold in Kadiwa centers is subsidized by the government through the Food Terminal Inc.
The DA is aiming to sustain the program until the end of Marcos’ term in June 2028, potentially covering up to 15 million households, or approximately 60 million Filipinos.
Tiu Laurel said the initiative supports both consumers and farmers.
“For every sack of rice sold under this program, we remove two bags of palay from NFA warehouses—stocks that must be replaced by grain from our farmers,” Tiu Laurel said in a separate press release.
“This creates a sustainable market for local producers while helping Filipino households access affordable staple food,” he added.
The DA said it has established 94 sites nationwide of P20 rice outlets, reflecting the Marcos administration’s commitment to stabilize rice prices. —KG/AOL, GMA Integrated News
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