The Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed on Saturday that a significant number of minimum wage earners benefiting from the P20-per-kilogram rice subsidy program are from the Bicol Region.

In a radio interview, DA Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said the list of 120,000 beneficiaries was provided by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with both agencies agreeing to prioritize minimum wage earners for inclusion in the program.

The KADIWA ng Pangulo rice subsidy initiative currently targets vulnerable sectors, including solo parents, persons with disabilities (PWDs), indigents, and senior citizens, through coordination with the National Food Authority (NFA).

De Mesa added that the DA is also considering expanding the program to cover workers without permanent employment and those in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He noted that areas with high poverty incidence, such as Zamboanga del Norte, where four out of ten residents live in poverty, will be prioritized in the next phase of the program.

The Marcos administration has said it intends to sustain the subsidized rice initiative until the end of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s term in 2028, with a goal of reaching up to 60 million Filipinos nationwide.