DA to include jeepney, tricycle drivers in P20 rice program by Sept. 16

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is extending the availability of its P20-per-kilo rice to jeepney and tricycle drivers by the middle of September, 2025.

“We will initially roll out the P20 rice program for tricycle and jeepney drivers on September 16 in five pilot areas,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said. 

“We’re coordinating with the Department of Transportation (DoTr ) who holds the TODA database,” said the DA head.

The Agriculture chief said one of the first pilot areas is Navotas City, which has a list of 4,000 accredited drivers.

Initially launched for solo parents, senior citizens, 4Ps beneficiaries, and persons with disabilities, the P20 rice program has expanded to cover minimum wage earners, rice farmers, and now fisherfolk. 

The program was also extended to the beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) “Walang Gutom” program.

Last Friday, Tiu Laurel led the rollout of the P20 rice program for the fisherfolk at the Navotas Fish Port Complex, alongside simultaneous launches in Sual, Pangasinan, and Lucena, Quezon. 

Eligible fisherfolk can purchase up to 10 kilos per month by showing either their Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture ID, FishR ID, or a valid QR code from the online system.

The Agriculture chief said the phased rollout of the P2 rice program will guide the agency’s planned nationwide expansion in 2026, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. envisions to reach 15 million households. 

He has also directed the DA to sustain the P20 program—a fulfillment of his campaign promise— until the end of his term in June 2028.

To strengthen the system, the DA chief said the agency will launch the P20 App on October 1. 

The app is designed to map out efficient logistics, ensure transparency, and prevent abuse.

The P20 rice program is led by the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, and implemented through the KADIWA ng Pangulo network. Rice stocks are sourced from the NFA and distributed via Food Terminal Inc.

“We are testing each rollout step to ensure success as we scale,” Tiu Laurel said. 

“This is about more than affordability—it’s about building a reliable system that works nationwide,” he said. — RF, GMA Integrated News