CLARK FREEPORT ZONE, Pampanga—The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday opened a new KADIWA ng Pangulo center in the Clark Special Economic Zone, expanding President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program that offers rice at ₱20 per kilo.
The program will prioritize minimum-wage earners and other low-income workers identified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Clark Development Corp. (CDC). Clark hosts about 151,000 workers, roughly half of whom earn minimum wage.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the launch, calling it an important step in strengthening food security and bringing affordable goods directly to workers.
The event also included the turnover of CDC’s new tissue culture laboratory to the DA. The facility is expected to boost the agency’s research capacity, improve planting materials, and support local food production under the DA-CDC Zero Kilometer Food System initiative.
The rollout of ₱20-per-kilo rice—sourced from local farmers through the National Food Authority—served as the main highlight for workers, offering both cheaper rice for consumers and stable market support for growers.
Among the officials present were CDC chairman Edgardo Pamintuan, CDC president and CEO Agnes Devanadera, DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra, DOLE Region 3 Director Geraldine Panlilio, and DA Region 3 Director Eduardo Lapuz.
Since its launch in May, the P20-rice initiative has expanded to 423 sites across 81 provinces. The DA is also expanding its Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry, which currently has 35,014 registered beneficiaries, to ensure transparent distribution to an estimated 15 million households by 2026. The inclusion of Clark will add more qualified workers to the registry through continued coordination with DOLE and CDC.
