'Benteng Bigas' now available for minimum wage workers

Minimum wage earners can now buy rice at P20 per kilo through the government's program launched on Friday, 13 June.

The program was officially launched at the Manila Harbor Center by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), in partnership with Manila Harbor Center Port Services Inc. (MHCPSI).

According to DOLE, the initiative is designed to provide food subsidies to minimum wage earners, particularly those organized under labor unions.

In a separate statement, the National Food Authority (NFA) Region 10 confirmed that the DA currently has an adequate buffer stock of rice stored in its warehouses.

"This program is not just about providing rice, it’s about upholding dignity and showing that the government can truly support those who need it most," said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

He added that the initiative also fulfills President Marcos’ promise to making food, especially rice, more affordable.

The rice being sold under the "Benteng Bigas" program is purchased from local farmers by the NFA.