Several local government units (LGUs) have begun receiving hundreds of kilos of vegetables sourced from Benguet vegetable farms as part of a food assistance initiative led by the Office of the President, aimed at supporting both farmers and vulnerable families.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. personally led the effort on Friday after visiting the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post and the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), where he purchased around 20 tons of agricultural products.
The move was intended to help farmers cope with rising fuel costs while ensuring an affordable food supply reaches urban communities.
Among the first recipients were Quezon City and Pasay City, which immediately began organizing distribution to qualified beneficiaries.
In Quezon City, shipments arrived at City Hall and were prepared for distribution to residents or “QCitizens.”
Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano personally received the vegetables that were transported in plastic containers and delivered to designated sites, including the Philippine School for the Blind, for distribution to pre-identified beneficiaries.
Recipients were carefully selected with the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In Caloocan, vegetables were delivered to a staging area behind City Hall North, while Navotas used the Navotas Convention Center as its drop-off point. In Malabon, supplies were brought to Barangay Potrero Hall for local dispersal.
Additional distribution hubs included DSWD facilities in Quezon City and Pasay, as well as sites in Manila and Muntinlupa, including the New Bilibid Prison and Manila City Jail, to reach institutional beneficiaries.
The government aims to stabilize food supply and prices by directly linking agricultural producers with consumers, while extending immediate relief to communities in need.