Promise fulfilled: Gov’t to raise funds for P20/kg. rice nationwide

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

FILE: Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (left) and Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque (in red) check the prices of rice and market compliance of retailers at the Murphy Public Market in Quezon City on Jan. 10, 2025. (PNA file photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – The Marcos administration will look for funding sources to bankroll the nationwide implementation of its PHP20-per-kg. rice initiative, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government is addressing the logistics issues to make the PHP20 per kg. of rice available throughout the country.

Castro said the national government aims to implement the program until the end of Marcos’ term in 2028, even without the help of the local government units (LGUs).

“Sa susunod pong taon, nanaisin po natin na mabigyan po ng sapat na pondo nang hindi na rin po kakailanganin ang anumang tulong mula sa LGUs. So, iyan po ay bibigyan po ng pondo para po maibsan po talaga ang kahirapan sa pagbili po ng napakamahal na bigas (Next year, we want to get enough funds without any help from the LGUs. So, we will allot funds for that to really ease the plight in buying the very expensive rice),” she said.

“Mabibigyan po ito ng tamang pag-aaral at tamang budget po. Iyan po ay talagang nanaisin ng Pangulo na maipatupad (It will be given the appropriate study and the right budget. That is what the President really wants to implement).”

The pilot rollout of the PHP20-per-kg. rice program will start in the Visayas, following Marcos’ closed-door meeting with the 12 governors of the region at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Wednesday.

As part of the initial phase, the purchase of cheaper rice will be limited to 10 kg. of rice per household per week or a total of 40 kg. every month.

Castro clarified that the rice that will be sold at a cheaper price is the variety that is currently being sold in the markets at PHP33 per kg.

She said local farmers will be the suppliers of the PHP20-per-kg. rice.

Castro said there will be guidelines on the sale of the cheaper rice in Visayas, adding that indigent Filipinos would be given priority.

“Sinasabi nila ito ay ma-avail ninuman. Pero magkakaroon din po ng sariling guidelines ang LGUs kung kanino po ito maibebenta. Mas malamang po, sa aking hinuha, sa aking pagta-tantiya, mas mabibigyan nila ng priority ‘yung mga sinasabing nasa laylayan ng lipunan (They say it can be availed by anyone. But the LGUs will also have their own guidelines on who it can be sold to. It is more likely, in my opinion, in my estimation, that they will give priority to those who are said to be on the fringes of society),” she said.

The National Food Authority currently has 358,000 metric tons of rice stocks, which will last for over nine days, more than halfway to its target national rice buffer stock of 15 days.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Marcos said his goal to bring down the price of rice to PHP20 per kg. is now a fulfilled promise.