P20 rice per kilo now available in Cebu

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday launched the rollout of the P20-per-kilo rice initiative in Cebu.

"That promise is now a reality—Benteng Bigas Meron Na!” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. during the event held at the Cebu Capitol grounds.

Besides the rollout, a memorandum of agreement was signed between Food Terminal Inc. and the Provincial Government of Cebu for the shared subsidy to implement the pilot test of the cheaper rice in the province, which will run until December.

The pilot run will cover other regions in the Visayas and is expected to benefit around 800,000 households, or about four million people.

According to the DA, local government units in Cebu have started drawing stocks from the National Food Authority warehouse in the city. Between 29 April and 1 May, around 3,700 50-kilo bags of rice were withdrawn.

Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia declared earlier that a QR code system will be implemented among underprivileged families.

A limit of 10 kilograms per family will be implemented per week.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DA to draw up plans to extend this food program until 2028 and expand it nationwide to cover as many financially challenged Filipinos as possible.