The government is banking on long-term food security and governance reform in the rice sector as Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced Tuesday the expansion of the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” initiative, backed by a P18-billion allocation to provide affordable rice for up to 60 million Filipinos.

Speaking during the 2025 Post-SONA Discussions in San Juan City, Secretary Tiu Laurel said the expanded program seeks to institutionalize access to P20-per-kilo rice, especially among vulnerable households.

“The government must help ease daily life, even just a little,” Tiu Laurel said in Filipino.

“If rice is affordable, families will have the extra money to buy milk for their children or a decent viand to enjoy daily meals together.”

According to the agriculture chief, P8 billion of the P18-billion fund will be supported by current rice stocks under the National Food Authority (NFA), while P10 billion will go to local palay procurement next year to ensure continuous supply. The DA is also finalizing a two-tier pricing mechanism – 80 percent of NFA rice sold at around P42 per kilo to generate subsidies for the remaining 20 percent at P20 per kilo.

The program’s sustainability hinges not just on funding but on legislative reform. Tiu Laurel emphasized that full rollout requires amending the Rice Tariffication Law to restore the DA’s regulatory role in rice importation and empower the NFA to license retailers and sell directly to consumers.

House Bill No. 1, or the RICE Act, filed by Speaker Martin Romualdez, aims to strengthen both agencies’ mandates and authorize the DA to set a minimum floor price for palay, protecting farmer incomes while maintaining price stability.

Tiu Laurel also underscored President Marcos’ directive to shield farmers from abusive middlemen.

“If anyone is to take a loss under the P20 rice program, it should only be the government – not our farmers,” he stressed.

He warned that any manipulation of palay prices constitutes economic sabotage, vowing accountability for violators.

The DA estimates that the subsidized rice program will cover about 15 percent of total domestic rice supply – enough to reach low-income and middle-income families without undercutting the open market or depressing farmgate prices.

To strengthen governance, Tiu Laurel said the DA will publish annual transparency reports on procurement volumes, geographic distribution, and subsidy utilization. The department is also rolling out digital tracking tools and feedback systems to minimize leakage and corruption.

With logistical coordination already underway with storage providers and LGUs, the DA is aiming to sustain the rice subsidy until the end of President Marcos’ term in 2028, cementing the program as a cornerstone of national food resilience.