The Department of Agriculture and the local government of Bacolod City launched three “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” centers on Thursday, June 5, to serve the region’s demand for the National Food Authority rice sold at P20 per kilogram.
The Bacolod City government will shoulder part of the subsidy for the P20/kg rice to be offered to financially vulnerable sectors, the DA said in a statement on Thursday. These sectors include indigent families identified by the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, solo parents, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and minimum wage earners.
To support the city’s rollout of the P20/kg rice, Bacolod placed an order with the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) for 5,880 sacks of rice, which is projected to meet the city’s needs for two weeks, based on an expected daily demand of 400 fifty-kg sacks.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that the P20/kg rice program has been designed to benefit up to 60 million Filipinos from 2025 to 2028.
“From farmers’ cooperatives in Mindoro offering their warehouses to boost NFA’s palay procurement, to local governments sharing in the subsidy, to agencies like the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) and DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) partnering with us to scale the program, and legislators pledging to institutionalize it, this is collective action at its best,” Tiu Laurel was quoted as saying in the DA statement.
In the same DA statement, Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez, described the launching of the P20/kg rice program in his city as “crucial” in controlling inflation, since demand for food is the biggest contributor to inflation.
“So, we need to ensure that it is stabilized so it does not cause any burden to our constituents. That’s the reason why we really pushed for the ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” program,” Benitez said.
On the other hand, FTI president Joseph Lo has assured Bacolod City that it has sufficient stocks to meet Bacolod’s requirements until the end of the pilot run in December.
The DA also said the launch of Kadiwa stores in Bacolod City has brought the total number of outlets offering the P20/kg rice to 87, thirty-two more than the initial target of 55 set by Tiu Laurel for the end of June.
With further support from the DOLE and the DSWD, the total number of outlets, accredited retailers and stores selling the P20/kg rice will surpass 1,000 in the coming weeks, the DA added.
