Releasing of National Food Authority (NFA) rice to local government units in Cebu started on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, for the P20-per-kilo program.

The distribution is assisted by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), and local government units (LGUs).

The NFA warehouse at the pier area went busy morning on April 30, 2025. Sacks of NFA rice were taken manually from the warehouse and loaded to waiting trucks. But before being cleared for release, the content of rice bags goes through grain probe.

A special equipment is used to punch slightly the sack in order to collect a small sample to check certain conditions such as discoloration of grains or infestation of small insects.

As soon as the sample passes quality control, the sack will be released for distribution.

“Ga-bag to bag para masiguro nato nga only good quality stocks ma-release sa bodega. This is local rice coming from farmers nga walay access to drying facilities, kanang magbulad sa dalan,” according to Engr. Ovelito Baritua, acting NFA regional manager.

NFA underscored that the rice grains are not old stock, and that most of the bags are from the March 2025 harvest.

“March pero bag-o gyud ni siyang galing,  ang source nato gikan Cagayan, Tacloban sa lain-lain, di ta kaingon old stocks kay wa man tay procurement diri man gud. Di ta ka buffer,” Baritua pointed out.

"Mga Cebuano particular kaayo ta sa appearance pero amo na ginakaon sa tasting quality ana local rice. Newly milled dili na nato kalikayan ang discoloration sa dili properly dried nga palay,” Baritua further said.

The NFA allocated a total of 11,200 bags for the entire Cebu Island under the program.

At least 27 LGUs in the Province of Cebu got the approval to claim their bags of rice.

The number of sacks allocated per municipality or city depends on an agreement between DA, FTI, and the LGUs.