The Department of Agriculture (DA) launched the pilot sale of the P20-per-kilogram rice in the remote island province of Siquijor on Tuesday.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the pilot test of the P20/kg rice program in the province would provide crucial insights into the logistical and community challenges of delivering to remote and underserved areas of the country.
In the first phase of the program in Siquijor, 425 households, or about 1,700 individuals, will benefit from the rice sold at P20/kg, the DA said.
“The launch of the P20/kg rice program in this magical island of Siquijor serves as a strategic model for the initial rollout of the program across other island provinces,” Tiu Laurel said.
Joseph Lo, Food Terminal Inc. president, added that Siquijor’s experience will serve as a testing ground for refining logistics, ensuring orderly distribution and establishing real-time feedback systems, which would be vital for a sustainable national rollout of the program.
“We’re not just delivering rice; we’re building the framework to deliver it better,” he explained.
The Siquijor rollout would be similar to the ongoing pilot in Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, which has been identified as a focal point for the P20/kg rice pilot phase, set to run through December 2025, the DA said.
Based on the DA’s monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region, local well-milled rice sold for P38 to P52/kg on Monday (June 16) while regular milled rice went for P30 to P45/kg.
Imported well-milled rice was selling for P38 to P48/kg while the price of imported regular milled rice ranged from P36 to P45/kg.
Special-variety imported rice fetched P55 to P61 and premium rice, P44 to P47.
Special-variety local rice was selling for P50 to P65/ kg while premium rice went for P44 to P60/kg.
These varieties are priced based on regular market forces and factors, and are not subsidized.
