The Department of Agriculture (DA) expanded its “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program to Makati on Tuesday, marking a strategic push into more Metro Manila areas to mitigate the impact of rising living costs.

The agency reported that approximately 750 beneficiaries were served during the Makati launch. The initiative, envisioned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., offers subsidized rice at P20 per kilo to vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, minimum wage earners, and transport workers.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the program is a vital intervention as households grapple with elevated food inflation.

“During these challenging times, initiatives envisioned by President Marcos, such as the P20 rice program, are a big help for the tight budgets of Filipino families,” Laurel said.

The rollout comes as global energy market volatility, fueled by Middle East tensions, continues to drive up local production and logistics costs.

Officials cited that these rising fuel prices have created pockets of vulnerability even in high-income localities, necessitating wider coverage of government food relief.

Beyond consumer aid, the program aims to stabilize the agricultural sector by sourcing supply from palay procured through the National Food Authority. This ensures a steady offtake for local farmers and helps sustain farmgate prices following recent harvests.

To ensure the integrity of the distribution process, the government is implementing the PBBM Registry System. The system assigns unique QR codes to beneficiaries to monitor purchases at Kadiwa outlets and reduce the risk of leakages.

Agriculture officials said the initiative will continue to expand nationwide through 2028, serving as a social safety measure and a tool to strengthen national food security amid ongoing economic pressures.