By Brian Campued
The Department of Agriculture (DA) opened 2026 with the fulfillment of its commitment to expanding the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” Program to provincial local government units (PLGUs) —with the first stop in northern Luzon.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., alongside Pangasinan Gov. Ramon Guico III and other key government official,s led the rollout of the Marcos Jr. administration’s flagship food security program in Lingayen, Pangasinan on Tuesday.
“The Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! is more than a slogan—it is the fulfillment of a campaign pledge and the realization of President [Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s] vision that no Filipino should go hungry and that farmers deserve to fully enjoy the fruits of their hardwork,” Laurel said as quoted in a news release.
According to the DA, about 177,000 families or approximately 708,000 individuals are expected to benefit from the rice sold at P20 per kilo.
This year, Laurel said that the program aims to reach 60 million vulnerable Filipinos.
Funding for the BBM Na Program’s expansion this year is estimated at P10 billion under the 2026 General Appropriations Act—with another P4 billion coming from D.A.’s savings from last year.
Meanwhile, the National Food Authority (NFA) has a P9-billion allocation for palay procurement, which will then be used for the selling of subsidized rice.
The P20 rice program seeks to cushion vulnerable households from rising food prices, while enabling the NFA to buy more palay from local farmers at reasonable prices.
“These twin goals strike at the heart of our mandate—to keep rice affordable for Filipino families while ensuring fair and stable prices for our farmers. This program reflects government’s commitment to both consumer welfare and agricultural development,” Laurel Jr. said.
The PLGU-led rollout will also be expanded to Nueva Ecija, Bohol, Zamboanga City, and Davao City before January ends, according to the D.A.
-jpv
