P20 rice program now includes farmers

P20 rice program now includes farmers | Daily Tribune

Rice farmers will be included as beneficiaries of the “P20 Bigas Meron Na” program starting in August, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Tuesday during a Post-State of the Nation Address (SoNA) discussion on food security and economic development.

Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel Jr. said in an interview that the P20 per kilogram rice would be available to rice farmers by 13 August.

“That is our aid to them amid the low price of palay,” Laurel said. “At least, they can avail of low-priced rice.”

The measure will be implemented nationwide and facilitated by the National Food Authority’s (NFA) Food Terminal Inc. in its warehouses.

Laurel also announced that the DA would seek an additional P18 billion in funding for the P20 rice program next year to expand its reach to more low-income families.

“The P18 billion is for next year for 15 million households. We are targeting lower-middle income, but that is not yet final as we will first consult our technical working group,” he said, citing various government agencies involved in the consultation.

By October, the government plans to launch a mobile application with a QR code for citizens to register and qualify for the program. Qualified individuals can then use the QR code to receive their allocation from Kadiwa Centers or accredited market centers.

Laurel mentioned that the use of schools through the Department of Education system is also being considered for distribution.

Vulnerable sectors will be entitled to purchase 30 kilograms of P20 rice per month, while minimum wage earners can secure 10 kilograms per month.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed skeptics of the program during his SoNA on Monday, stating that affordable P20 per kilogram rice would be available nationwide. He noted the government would allocate P113 billion to the DA to roll out the program through Kadiwa stores and centers.

The Marcos administration has already launched “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” outlets across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The initiative aims to ease the financial burden on Filipino families while supporting the livelihoods of farmers. Kadiwa ng Pangulo stores currently sell rice at P20 per kilogram to vulnerable sectors, including indigents, senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and minimum wage workers.

Laurel further elaborated on the program’s expansion and the government’s long-term food security and governance reform in the rice sector as he stressed that the expanded program seeks to institutionalize access to P20-per-kilo rice, especially for vulnerable households.

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

Of the P18 billion fund, P8 billion will be supported by current rice stocks under the NFA, with P10 billion earmarked for local palay procurement next year to ensure continuous supply.

The DA is also finalizing a two-tier pricing mechanism, where 80 percent of NFA rice would be sold at around P42 per kilogram to generate subsidies for the remaining 20 percent sold at P20 per kilogram.

Laurel stressed that the program’s sustainability relies on legislative reform, particularly 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 these mandates and authorize the DA to set a minimum floor price for palay to protect farmer incomes while maintaining price stability.