ILAGAN CITY, Isabela — A rice assistance program launched by the Isabela provincial government in 2019 has expanded to benefit approximately 158,000 residents while establishing a consistent market for local agricultural producers.

The distribution originally provided 20 kilograms of monthly rice subsidy  to nearly 4,000 Provincial Capitol employees under a directive from Isabela Governor Rodito Albano to address local food security. The program has since grown to include teachers, police officers, firefighters, jail personnel, barangay workers, and families of deceased uniformed personnel. 

Said program also covered transport drivers, fisherfolk, tobacco farmers, solo parents, former rebels, and provincial scholars. Most of the beneficiaries are now now receiving 10 kilograms of rice per month to help offset household expenses.

According to Albano, the program functions as both social assistance and economic support. The rice distributed through the initiative is sourced directly from Isabela farmers, which provides them with a reliable market and supports agricultural production in the province. He stated that by linking local rice production with food assistance, the province has been able to stabilize food security while creating economic opportunities for agricultural communities.

The provincial rice distribution program is being seen by the national government to create similar rice assistance models for other local government units to address food costs and support rural development.