DREAMING of 20? A P20 per kilo of rice?
According to the government, the cheap rice – a staple for every Filipino family – can now be bought at many Kadiwa outlets in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Mindoro, and Rizal.
The Presidential Communications Office said that the Department of Agriculture had started selling rice at P20 a kilo this week in the said areas.
The PhP20-per-kilo rice under the “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” (BBM) program is said to be a part of the goals of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure food security, accessibility and affordability.
Open to all?
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government plans to allocate an additional budget for the program for next year to realize President Marcos’s vision of making staple food more accessible to the public.
“Ang plano po sa susunod na taon po ay magkaroon po ng budget para maibigay po ang P20 na bigas kada kilo sa lahat. Iyan po ang plano depende pa po sa budget,” Castro said.
The P20-per-kilo rice initiative is available only at select KADIWA centers until December 2025. At present, it is limited only to vulnerable groups, including low-income families, senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities.
Castro cited the importance of cooperating with local government units (LGUs) to sustain and expand the program.
LGUs may determine their guidelines, allowing broader community distribution.
Banner Photo Courtesy: Philippine News Agency
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