LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte (PIA) — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), now under the Office of the President, launched P29-per-kilo Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) rice in Ilocos Norte on Sept. 13, coinciding with the 67th birthday of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
However, the BBM rice was sold only to select individuals from vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents.
The BBM rice was made possible through NIA’s contract farming with irrigators’ associations in the province, with a total of 901 hectares dedicated to this program.
Contract framing reflects the President’s vision for Bagong Pilipinas and food security thrust to ensure efficient rice production by reducing average production cost to less than P15 per kilogram and selling rice at P29 per kilogram.
Acting division manager of NIA-Ilocos Norte Engr. Joselito De Vera said they plan to sell low-priced grains every week at NIA’s Kadiwa booth.
“We also plan to extend contract farming in the province, at ngayon ay on the process na rin ang submission namin ng areas for contract farming. Nagko-coordinate kami sa mga presidente (ng irrigators’ associations) na may kagustuhan sa program natin,” said De Vera.
(We plan to extend contract farming in the province, and we are in the process of submitting the list of areas for contract farming. We are coordinating with the presidents of the irrigators’ associations that are interested in our program.)
During the pilot sale of the BBM rice at the NIA compound, the target beneficiaries of the program thanked the government for the affordable rice.
Apolinario Lopez Jr., a farmer and resident of Barangay San Pablo in San Nicolas town, bought 10 kg of the BBM rice for P290.
“Malaki ang pasasalamat namin dahil itong bigas na nabili namin ay malaking bagay lalo sa amin na hirap sa buhay. Kaya naman lubos kaming nagpapasalamat kay Pangulong BBM para sa proyektong ito,” said Lopez.
(We are very grateful because the rice we purchased is a significant help to us, who are struggling in life. We deeply appreciate President BBM for initiating this project.)
Recently, President Marcos Jr. transferred the NIA under the Office of the President from being an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture.
With the agency being headed by Administrator Eduardo Guillen, a former mayor in Ilocos Norte, the NIA office in the province sees this as an advantage for the local farmers, especially for the machinery and equipment for irrigation it provided.
“Very thankful kami kay Pangulo BBM sa dami na nabigay para sa local farmers,” said De Vera, NIA’s acting division manager.
For the Ilocos region, the province of Ilocos Norte was the pilot area for the BBM rice program implementation. (AMB/MJTAB/PIA Ilocos Norte)
