The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expanded the rollout of its ₱20-per-kilo rice program in Aklan to help keep rice affordable for low-income families while supporting local farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the expansion follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to protect consumers from rising food prices and strengthen food security. The program is expected to benefit up to 85,000 people in Aklan, including minimum wage earners, farmers and fisherfolk, senior citizens, solo parents, 4Ps beneficiaries, persons with disabilities, and transport workers.
The program uses rice from National Food Authority (NFA) buffer stocks, allowing the NFA to buy more palay from local farmers at fair prices, especially during the harvest season. Alongside the rice rollout, the DA also distributed about ₱75 million worth of farm and fisheries support in the province, including farm machinery, seeds and fertilizers, crop insurance payouts, renewable energy systems, capital for KADIWA outlets, and fishing boats.
