Siquijor pilots subsidized rice program

Around 425 households in the Municipality of Siquijor are set to benefit from the Department of Agriculture’s P20-per-kilo rice program, as the government tests the viability of delivering affordable rice to more remote areas.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday the pilot in Siquijor will help shape the model for a broader rollout of the program nationwide.

“The launch of the P20 program in this magical island of Siquijor serves as a strategic model for the initial rollout of the program across other island provinces,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement Tuesday.

“This will help draw the blueprint for expanding the program across the archipelago — one that could endure until the end of President Marcos’ term in June 2028.”

Food Terminal Inc. President Joseph Lo said the deployment will also serve as a testing ground for logistics, orderly distribution, and real-time feedback.

“We are not just delivering rice; we’re building the framework to deliver it better,” Lo said.

The Siquijor launch follows a similar pilot in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Both provinces belong to the recently re-established Negros Island Region, which has been identified as a key focus of the program’s pilot phase running until the end of the year.