By Wilnard Bacelonia and Luel Galarpe | Philippine News Agency
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is ramping up preparations to expand its P20-per-kilo rice initiative beyond Cebu, with at least 16 additional distribution centers set to operate across Metro Manila under the KADIWA ng Pangulo (KNP) program.
Outside Cebu, the DA has identified key selling points in Metro Manila, including public markets in Caloocan, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Pasay, and Marikina, as well as DA offices and police headquarters such as Camp Crame and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Eastern District in Pasig.
Each site will sell National Food Authority (NFA)-sourced rice at P20 per kilo to qualified beneficiaries including senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) recipients, with a 30-kilo monthly cap per household.
The DA said the initiative will help decongest NFA warehouses in time for the peak harvest season and is a preparation for the program’s nationwide implementation until 2028.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the Labor Day launch of the rice program in Cebu together with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
“Today, Labor Day, we fulfill a promise made three years ago by President Bongbong Marcos to the Filipino people: to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo. That promise is now a reality — Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” Tiu Laurel said.
In Cebu alone, the pilot is expected to benefit 800,000 households through December, with local government units already withdrawing over 3,700 bags from NFA warehouses.
Aside from the event at the Capitol, more than 30 local government units in Cebu Province that are part of the Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB) program have also started selling the P20/kilo rice.
Garcia said SMB is an old program in the province, similar to the PBBM-initiative offering rice at P20 per kilo.
During the launch, Garcia and Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) President Joseph Lo signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the supply of NFA rice from FTI’s warehouse.
Garcia, Laurel, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, and Lo also held a food tasting of the newly cooked NFA rice after the main program at the Capitol Social Hall.
Garcia said the PBBM program is supposed to be a major headline. However, her critics marred it with the release of her preventive suspension.
The Ombudsman earlier ordered her preventive suspension following a complaint for grave abuse of discretion over the desilting project in Talisay City in 2024 without the necessary environmental permits.
