The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday said that up to 15 million poor Filipino households could benefit from the upcoming pilot run of the P20-per-kilogram subsidized rice program aimed at making affordable rice accessible.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the pilot phase, launching as early as next month, will initially cover households in the Visayas and selected Metro Manila areas through Kadiwa outlets. He said that as the program targets around 51 percent of the population, refining the list of beneficiaries is ongoing, with data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicating that 1 to 2.9 million families qualify as “poor.”
Funded by P5 billion in contingency funds from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., P4.5 billion of which will subsidize rice sales and P500 million for logistics, the program will use aging rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to both supply low-cost rice and clear storage for new local harvests. The DA estimates that potential government losses may reach P10.5 billion but stressed that selling old stock is better than letting it spoil.
Tiu Laurel said safeguards will be in place, including a digital card system to track sales and prevent abuse, and coordination with local government units (LGUs) to ensure proper distribution. Pilot participation will prioritize LGUs with prior experience in selling lower-priced rice, such as San Juan City and San Jose del Monte.
He also assured that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will help determine whether the rice best be distributed before or after the 13 May elections but dismissed concerns that the program would be politicized.
The price of regular rice in the market currently ranges from P33 to P60 per kilogram, making the P20 offer a significant financial relief for eligible consumers.
