After Election Day (12 May), a dozen Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) centers across Metro Manila and nearby provinces will officially kick off the expanded pilot of the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program on 13 May, offering affordable rice at just P20 per kilo to provide relief to millions of poor Filipinos.

Originally launched on 1 May in Cebu City, the program was initially set for a six-month pilot in the Visayas. However, in a bold move following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has dramatically expanded the program’s scope, extending it until the end of the president’s term in 2028.

“As promised, the sale of P20 per kilo rice, which was initially launched on Labor Day, will resume right after the midterm elections. We had to temporarily pause the rollout in compliance with the Commission on Elections’ advice to honor the 10-day spending ban starting 2 May,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said. 

The DA chief defended the affordable rice initiative from detractors. “Despite critics’ claims, this targeted rice program will be pursued until the end of President Marcos’ term — this is the realization of his campaign promise,” he said.

The program not only aims to provide affordable rice to Filipino consumers but also seeks to ease the burden on the National Food Authority’s warehouses, enabling the agency to buy more palay from farmers at higher prices.

While the program initially focused on the Visayas, a review of the DA’s budget and NFA stocks has revealed that it can now be extended to other regions, including Metro Manila and neighboring provinces, through Kadiwa centers and local government units involved in the national food crisis emergency initiative.

Under the pilot test, LGUs will share the P13 per kilo subsidy with the DA’s Food Terminal Inc. Eligibility of beneficiaries will be determined by the LGUs. Vulnerable groups — including solo parents, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and beneficiaries of the government’s 4Ps program — will have access to the P20 rice at Kadiwa centers. 

With the expanded area covered by the pilot run, the DA has decided to adjust the monthly limit to 30 kilos per household — the same level set for the Kadiwa P20 rice program.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing and Consumers Affairs Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, overseeing the Kadiwa program, confirmed that 32 centers across Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro and Rizal will begin selling the subsidized rice by 15 May.

The pilot run is expected to serve as many as 2 million households — around 10 million Filipinos — until December, ensuring that affordable, quality rice reaches those who need it most.