More than 115,000 minimum wage earners from nearly 400 businesses have benefited from the government’s P20 per kilogram rice program, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) announced Friday.

The program, launched by the Department of Agriculture (DA) on 1 May, was initially for vulnerable groups like senior citizens and people with disabilities.

It was later expanded to include minimum wage earners through a joint effort by the DoLE and the DA. The initiative was officially rolled out nationwide on 13 June as part of a broader commitment to make essential goods more affordable.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the goal is to expand the program’s reach and ensure its long-term viability.

“We want more people to benefit from it. We want to ensure that sustainability is there,” Laguesma said. “The ultimate dream and goal of the DA and DoLE is to reach all those who need assistance.”

The program has also provided temporary employment for 368 informal workers through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers program. These workers, who helped with the hauling and repackaging of rice, earned a total of more than P2 million in wages based on their region’s minimum pay.

The DA aims to cover about 15 million households, or 60 million Filipinos, by the end of 2026.