Quezon city: Nearly one million Filipinos across the country have benefited from the government’s ‘Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na’ program since its rollout seven months ago, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported. Speaking at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, DA Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra highlighted the impact of the PHP20-per-kilo rice initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., launched in May, which has reached close to 900,000 beneficiaries.

According to Philippines News Agency, Guevarra mentioned the DA’s plans to modernize the program’s registration system to ensure that the intended beneficiaries are the ones purchasing the subsidized rice. The improved system is expected to help monitor where and how often beneficiaries buy the PHP20 rice. Guevarra stated, “We are looking to modernize registration system nationwide to be more direct to our target beneficiaries. At the same time, to monitor where they buy and how often.” She added that the agency aims to reach 15 million households under the program by 2026.

Guevarra also supported the Department of Trade and Industry’s estimate that PHP500 would be sufficient for a family’s Noche Buena, depending on the celebration’s elaborateness. “It’s possible for a household of five, but of course it depends on what they want to prepare,” she said, noting current market prices of pork at around PHP330 per kilo and chicken at PHP180 to PHP200 per kilo. She encouraged consumers to shop at Kadiwa stores, where prices are generally 20 to 30 percent lower due to the direct farm-to-consumer setup. While she acknowledged that product selections might be limited, she emphasized that the lower prices could help stretch household budgets. There are currently 740 Kadiwa stores and pop-up outlets nationwide, with more than 100 operating regularly.