The Department of Agriculture (DA) is forging ahead with its plan to expand the P20 rice program to benefit smallholder rice farmers, brushing aside criticisms from what officials have described as “self-styled” leaders in the agriculture sector.

Set to launch on 13 August, the initiative aims to provide subsidized rice at P20 per kilo to millions of farmers and farm workers who are registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and till no more than three hectares of land.

Under the program, eligible beneficiaries will be able to purchase up to 10 kilos of rice monthly. They may also choose to claim a single 50-kilo sack anytime from August to December this year.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. defended the program, saying it is meant to ease the burden on farmers who often find themselves priced out of their own harvests.

“We’re offering affordable food to those who need it most,” Laurel said. “No one is being forced to avail of it. We’re simply trying to make life a little less difficult for the people who feed this country. This is one step — just one — toward greater food security.”

He acknowledged that the initiative does not solve all the problems faced by the agriculture sector, but emphasized that long-term solutions are also underway.

These include proposals to increase tariffs on imported rice and even suspend rice importation altogether — measures that remain under review due to gaps in data.

“Without accurate, timely data, we risk making policy in the dark,” Laurel said, stressing the impact of the National Food Authority’s reduced regulatory role.

“We listen to the people with their boots in the mud — the farmers who work the land — not to armchair critics who offer no real solutions,” he said.

The DA chief also called on critics to engage in the policy process more constructively.

“Criticism without constructive alternatives only slows us down. If you truly care about the sector, offer ideas. Help us build. Don’t just tear down,” he said.