Minimum-wage workers at Clark Freeport can now buy rice at just P20 per kilo as the Department of Agriculture (DA) opened a new KADIWA ng Pangulo center to expand the rice program.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Monday the rollout will further ease food affordability across Clark economic zones while supporting the livelihood of local farmers. 

"With approximately 151,000 employees in Clark Development Corp, where around 50 percent are minimum-wage earners endorsed by DOLE, this initiative brings essential and affordable food directly to the workforce that keeps this economic hub moving,” he said.

To sustain the scale-up, the DA is accelerating enrollment in its Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System, which now has 35,014 beneficiaries. The registry is designed to ensure transparent and efficient distribution to some 15 million households by 2026.

Beginning in March, buyers will need a QR code as the DA shifts to a digital masterlist intended to fast-track, secure, and monitor nationwide distribution. 

Registration—open until February 2026—will roll out first through Kadiwa stores before expanding to local governments, provincial capitols, and public schools. The agency said verification features will continue to evolve, with the potential addition of biometrics.

QR codes will be issued after successful registration, with online sign-ups slated to go live by December.

The Benefinder module is already accessible at p20.da.gov.ph. The system also prevents households from claiming rice more frequently than allowed, helping stretch limited budgets and grain stocks.

The DA may relax these rules in provinces hit by disasters where food prices remain elevated.

For 2026, the department expects to operate with nearly P23 billion to sustain the subsidized rice program, including funding for the NFA, the Rice for All initiative, and contingency allocations from the Office of the President.

The P20-rice program taps local farmers through the National Food Authority to cut living costs for low-income households and to secure stable demand for producers. Since its launch in May, the program has reached 423 sites across 81 provinces.