DA rolls out P20/kg rice pilot test in Cebu

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday rolled out the pilot test of the P20-per-kilo rice initiative in Cebu.

In a news release, the DA said a memorandum of agreement was signed by Food Terminal Inc. and the Provincial Government of Cebu for subsidy sharing to implement the pilot test of the cheaper rice initiative in the province.

The entire pilot test, which will run until December, will cover other regions in the Visayas and should benefit around 800,000 households or four million people, according to the Agriculture Department.

“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!” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

The DA said Cebu provinces’ local government units (LGUs) have started drawing stocks from the National Food Authority warehouse in Cebu City.

It said that between April 29 to May 1, the Cebu LGUs have withdrawn around 3,700 50-kilo bags of rice.

The DA said the NFA continues to reposition stocks from rice producing areas in the Visayas and from Mindoro to areas like Cebu that have little rice output.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DA to draw up plans to extend this food program until 2028 and expand it nationwide to cover as many financially-challenged Filipinos as possible.

Under the P20-per-kilo program, cheaper rice would be available through targeted mechanisms, particularly for vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and beneficiaries of the government’s 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program).

Each qualified household may purchase up to 30 kilos per month, according to the DA.

The DA said it is currently awaiting clarification from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on whether the program is exempt from the May 2 to 12 ban on the distribution of government aid during the election period.

Initially, the DA said it planned to roll out the initiative in 16 locations across Metro Manila.

Distribution centers were set up at the following areas:

• DA Central Office, Quezon Memorial Circle
• Bureau of Plant Industry, Malate, Manila
• Bureau of Animal Industry, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City
• Plant Fiber Development Authority, Las Piñas
• Bagong Sibol Market, Marikina City
• Disiplina Village Phase 1, Valenzuela City
• Food Terminal Inc., Taguig city
• Barangay 183, Midway Park, Caloocan City
• Philippine National Police headquarters, Camp Crame
• Philippine Postal Corporation, Manila
• PNP Eastern Police District, Pasig City
• Pasay City Public Market, Libertad St.
• Kamuning Public Market, Cubao
• Mandaluyong Public Market I, Kalentong
• Mandaluyong Public Market II, Fabella Rd., Brgy. Addition Hills
• Bagong Silang Phase 9 Public Market, Caloocan City

“If Comelec disallows rice distribution during the restricted period, the DA plans to start selling the subsidized rates in earnest right after the midterm elections,” it said.

Tiu Laurel also expressed optimism that Comelec would grant an exemption, citing the program’s potential to alleviate financial pressure on low-income families while also helping decongest NFA warehouses—freeing up space for the procurement from local farms of freshly harvested palay during the peak of the summer harvest season.—AOL, GMA Integrated News