P20/kg rice program open for all Filipinos on PBBM’s birthday

By Stephanie Sevillano, Philippine News Agency

The cheaper rice program will be accessible in 100 select Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) sites and accredited stores. These sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday announced that all Filipinos may buy rice at PHP20 per kg. for one day under the “Handog ng Pangulo” program on Saturday, coinciding with the 68th birthday of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The cheaper rice program will be accessible in 100 select Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) sites and accredited stores. These sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said even Filipinos who are not part of the vulnerable sector may benefit from the special birthday edition of the “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na.”

“On Saturday, the P20 per kilo rice will be available to everyone in select KADIWA sites in a number of cities and provinces. This is President Marcos’ birthday gift to the Filipino people,” he said.

The Handog ng Pangulo will also serve as a “logistical test” for a wider national rollout of the ‘BBM Na’, which aims to reach 15 million families or 60 million Filipinos.

At least 88,000 households or 352,000 Filipinos, meanwhile, are projected to benefit from the one-day Handog ng Pangulo rice sale, according to the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) and Food Terminal Inc.

Filipino buyers who wish to avail of the cheaper price need only to present a valid ID, granted with a 10-kg. purchase limit each.