The Department of Agriculture will begin selling P20 per kilogram of rice to public transport workers in five major cities starting on Tuesday, September 16, widening the reach of the government’s flagship program for the staple grain.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. over the weekend said that the upcoming rollout would benefit an initial batch of 57,000men and women to fulfill President Marcos’ campaign promise to bring down the cost of living for millions of Filipinos.
“This is more than a food program. It’s a promise being fulfilled—a fight against hunger that meets people where they are,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.
At least 57,000 public transport workers—from bus, jeepney, and tricycle drivers to operators—will initially benefit from this initiative.
The DA is working closely with the Departments of Transportation, Interior, and Local Government, as well as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, to bring this program to the transport sector.
Eligible beneficiaries can purchase up to 10 kgs of rice per month.
Initial rollouts will take place in the following areas: Bureau of Animal Industry in Quezon City (17,633 beneficiaries); Philippine Fisheries Development Authority in Navotas City (1,001 beneficiaries); Barangay Pandan in Angeles City, Pampanga (9,961 beneficiaries); Food Terminal Inc. in Cebu City (24,742 beneficiaries); and Tagum City (3,650 beneficiaries).
“We are grateful to our partner agencies for making this possible in record time,” Tiu Laurel said.
The DA said it has rapidly expanded the rice program originally designed for senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and indigent households since its launch in May.
This initiative now includes minimum wage earners, farmers, and fisherfolk, with plans to include public school teachers, non-teaching DepEd staff, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Walang Gutom beneficiaries in the future.
Tiu Laurel said, “We are fully committed to President Marcos’ directive to extend this program to 15 million households by 2026—and to keep it going until the end of his term in 2028.”
According to the DA’s monitoring of public markets in Metro Manila, local regular milled rice cost from P30 to P45 kg on Thursday (September 11) while well-milled rice sold for P38 to P52 per kg.
Imported regular milled rice ranged from P30 to P45 per kilogram, while well-milled rice sold for P40 to P50 per kilogram.
