The Marcos Jr. administration has expanded its flagship affordable rice initiative to the transport sector, with over 57,000 public transport workers now set to benefit from P20 per kilo rice under the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), is spearheading the rollout scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 16.
Eligible beneficiaries—including bus, jeepney, and tricycle drivers, as well as transport operators—will be able to purchase up to 10 kilos of subsidized rice per month.
“This is more than just a food assistance initiative. It’s a concrete step in the fight against hunger and a fulfillment of the President’s promise to make food more affordable,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. He credited swift inter-agency coordination for the rapid implementation.
Initial Rollout Sites and Beneficiaries:
- Quezon City (Bureau of Animal Industry) – 17,633 beneficiaries
- Navotas City (Philippine Fisheries Development Authority) – 1,001 beneficiaries
- Angeles City, Pampanga (Barangay Pandan) – 9,961 beneficiaries
- Cebu City (Food Terminal Inc.) – 24,742 beneficiaries
- Tagum City – 3,650 beneficiaries
Designated rice distribution points include DA facilities and partner agency warehouses in each location.
Initially focused on senior citizens, solo parents, PWDs, and indigent households, the P20 rice program has since expanded to include minimum wage earners, farmers, fisherfolk, public school teachers, and non-teaching DepEd staff. Beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Walang Gutom program are also being integrated.
Secretary Tiu Laurel reiterated the administration’s long-term commitment to food affordability. “We are fully aligned with the President’s directive to extend this program to 15 million households by 2026. The goal is to sustain and institutionalize this effort until the end of President Marcos’ term in 2028,” he said.
The expansion of the P20 rice initiative to the transport sector marks a significant milestone in the government’s broader strategy to address food insecurity and support low-income sectors amid rising living costs.
