Marcos: P20 rice program expanding nationwide

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced Monday that the P20 rice program, his campaign promise during the 2022 elections, is expanding nationwide.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said: "Sa mga nagtatanong kung nasaan na ang beinte pesos na bigas? Ito ang aking tugon (To those who are asking, where is the P20 rice? Here is my answer)."

"Napatunayan natin na kaya na natin ang beinte pesos sa bawat kilo ng bigas, nang hindi malulugi ang mga magsasaka (We have proven that we can bring down rice prices to P20 per kilo without incurring losses for farmers)," the President said.

"Kamakailan lamang ay matagumpay nating nailunsad ito sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao kagaya sa San Juan, Pangasinan, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro, Cebu, Bacolod, Guimaras, Siquijor, at Davao del Sur (We have successfully launched the program in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in areas such as San Juan, Pangasinan, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro, Cebu, Bacolod, Guimaras, Siquijor, and Davao del Sur)," he said.

READ | Inflation, economy, price of rice: Where PH stands since SONA 2024

The President said the government will earmark P113 billion to strengthen the Department of Agriculture's (DA) programs.

"Ilulunsad na natin ito sa buong bansa, sa pamamagitan ng daan-daang KADIWA Stores at Centers sa iba't ibang lokal na pamahalaan (We will launch this nationwide through our hundreds of KADIWA stores and centers at various local governments)," Marcos said.

"Binabalaan ko ang mga trader na magtatangkang mag-manipula ng presyo ng palay at bigas, o manloloko ng mga magsasaka. Hahabulin namin kayo, dahil ang ginagawa ninyo ay economic sabotage (Traders who will attempt to manipulate prices of milled and unmilled rice, and those who will deceive our farmers—you are warned. We will run after you, because what you are doing is economic sabotage)," he said.

Initially launched in the Visayas last April, at least 162 locations across the country have been offering the cheaper subsidized rice, according to the DA.

Members of the vulnerable sectors are on the priority list of who can avail the P20 per kilo of rice. 

The P20-per-kilo rice initiative operates primarily through KADIWA ng Pangulo outlets. The rice is being sourced from stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA), which are procured directly from local farmers.

The Agriculture Department said the subsidized rice program not only ensures affordable food staple for consumers, but also helps decongest NFA warehouses. With more available space at the warehouses, the DA said, more palay can be purchased at prices higher than those offered by private traders.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the target is to serve 15 million households or about 60 million people by the end of 2026. 

Rice inflation has been contracting for six months in a row and is seen to end the year at a "negative inflation" print, consistent with the PSA's expectation that it would begin easing towards the second half of 2024 due to base effects, particularly when it began its uptrend in August 2023, as well as the impact of lower rice import tariff which took effect early July last year.

Invest in agriculture

The President urged the business community to ramp up their investments in the country's agriculture sector.

"Ngunit nananawagan pa rin ako sa ating mga negosyante: Mamuhunan kayo sa ating agrikultura (I appeal to our businessmen: Invest in our agriculture)," Marcos said.

"And my singular resounding message to the international business community is this: The Philippines is ready. Invest in the Filipino," he said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the country’s agriculture and fisheries output declined by 2.2% to P1.725 trillion in 2024, from P1.76 trillion in 2023, due to the effects of severe weather conditions, pests, and diseases.

Pork prices

As a long-term solution to bring down the price of pork, Marcos said the government is supporting efforts to boost swine production.

“Bilang pangunahing solusyon sa mataas na presyo ng baboy, pinalalakas natin ang ating lokal na produksyon. Namimigay tayo ng mga biik at inahin. Nagpapatayo rin tayo ng mga biosecured facilities (As one of the main solutions to bring down pork prices, we are strengthening local production. We are giving away piglets and female pegs for breeding. We are also building biosecured facilities)," the President said.

The Chief Executive said the vaccination drive to curb the threat of African Swine Fever (ASF) will be expanded to help bring down retail prices of pork.

"Upang lubos na pababain ang presyo ng karne, nagsimula nang magbakuna laban sa ASF, at pala-lawigin pa natin ang pagbabakuna laban dito (So we can effectively lower pork prices, the ASF vaccination program has been started and will be expanded)," he said.

The President said the government is also helping in boosting production of various crops such as rice, corn, pineapple, banana, mango, coffee, cacao, calamansi, sugarcane, onion, garlic, among others.

"Mula nang nagsimula ang administrasyon, mahigit walo at kalahating milyong magsasaka at mangingisda ang nakatanggap ng tulong. Lalo pa nating papaigtingin ang mga programa ng pamahalaan para mas marami pang matutulungan (Over 8.5 million farmers and fishermen have received aid since the start of the administration. We will intensify government programs to help more of them)," Marcos said.

“Libu-libong kilometro ng farm-to-market roads na ang nagawa, at libu-libong kilometro pa ang papasinayaan. Libu-libong ektarya ng lupa ang nalagyan na ng patubig sa buong bansa. At libu-libong ektarya pa ang patutubigan. Libu-libo ring makinarya at pasilidad ang ating binuksan at pinamigay para sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda," he said.

(Thousands of kilometers of farm-to-market roads have been built, with thousands of kilometers more to be inaugurated. Thousands of hectares across the country have been irrigated, with thousands more to follow suit. Thousands of farm machineries have been given and facilities have been opened for farmers and fishermen.)

Marcos said the government will also put up more Rice Processing System facilities as well as distribute fiberglass-made boats for local fisherfolk.

"Our cavalcade of dependable and hardworking Filipinos, innately skilled, adaptable, and possessed with a heart for service, are here, ready to work and to succeed with you," he added.

Coconut fund

Meanwhile, Marcos called on Congress to amend the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act to make it more responsive to the needs of farmers and boost exports of the commodity.

To boost the coconut farming sector, Marcos said the administration seeks to plant up to 100 million coconut trees in the country.

"Milyun-milyong Pilipino ang umaasa sa puno ng niyog bilang pangunahing kabuhayan. Mula ngayong taon, hindi bababa sa labing-limang milyong hybrid at mataas na klaseng mga binhi ng niyog ang ating itatanim sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa. At itutuloy natin ito hanggang isandaang milyong puno ng niyog ang ating maitatanim sa buong Pilipinas," the President said.

(Millions of Filipinos depend on the coconut tree as their primary source of livelihood. Starting this year, no less than 15 million hybrid and high-quality coconut seedlings will be planted in different parts of the country. And we will continue this until 100 million coconut trees have been planted across the Philippines.)

"At upang lubos na pasiglahin ang industriya ng niyog, hihilingin natin sa Kongreso na amyendahan ang Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, para maging mas angkop sa mga pangangailangan ng mga magsasaka," he said.

(So that the coconut industry would be truly revitalized, we will ask Congress to amend the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, so that it would be suited to the needs of farmers.)

The Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act or Republic Act 11524 was signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte on February 26 2021, and became effective on March 13, 2021.

"Bahagi lamang ito ng ginagawa nating malawakang pagpapalakas ng iba't iba pa nating industriya, kasama dito ang industriya ng asin, pagproseso at pag-export ng niyog," Marcos said.

(This is part of a wider effort to strengthen different industries, including those for salt and the processing and export of coconuts.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News