Quezon City: Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced that approximately 4 million Filipinos in the Visayas region stand to benefit from the PHP20 per kilogram rice program, set to launch in pilot areas. The program’s initial rollout is scheduled for Cebu province on May 1 and in eight select Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) Centers in Metro Manila on May 2.
According to Philippines News Agency, the initial target includes almost 800,000 families across Regions 6, 7, 8, and Negros Island, translating to around 4 million individuals. These figures do not account for the beneficiaries at the Kadiwa sites. The participating KNP centers in Metro Manila include Agribusiness Development Center, Bureau of Animal Industry, Philippine National Police Camp Crame, Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippine Fiber Industry in Las Pi±as, Bagong Sibol Market in Marikina City, Disiplina Village in Valenzuela City, and Navotas City Hall.
Additional local government units are set to participate in the PHP20/kg rice project, building on their involvement in the PHP33 per kilogram rice sale for food security emergencies. These LGUs include San Juan City, Navotas, Metro Manila’s National Housing Authority site, Isabela, San Rafael in Bulacan, Palayan in Nueva Ecija, Siniloan in Laguna, Camarines Sur, Cotabato, and Mati City in Davao Oriental.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) indicated that the pilot launch in Metro Manila might face rescheduling if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disallows the sale within ten days before the midterm polls. Tiu Laurel emphasized compliance with Comelec’s decision, stating that sales would commence post-election if necessary. He expressed hope for Comelec’s approval to benefit consumers promptly.
A nationwide implementation of the PHP20/kg rice program is projected for January 2026, with a planned benefit reach of 15 million people, or 51 percent of the population, between 2026 and 2028. The DA has set a monthly purchase limit of 40 kilograms per family in the Visayas, with a 30-kilogram limit for vulnerable groups at Kadiwa centers.
The program will utilize a PHP4.5 billion budget from the Office of the President’s contingency fund. The Food Terminal Incorporated will administer the PHP13/kg subsidy to procure well-milled rice from the National Food Authority, which includes aging and soon-to-age stocks. Participating LGUs in the Visayas will cover half of this subsidy to facilitate the PHP20/kg consumer price.
Tiu Laurel noted that the DA is exploring various methods to ensure the program’s sustainability, aiming to extend its benefits to a significant portion of the population over the coming years.
