Personnel from the Municipal Agriculture Office of Malabuyoc, Cebu distributing the P20/kilo rice to indigent families in their town. The program is in line with Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos’ promise to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilogram. (Photo from Malabuyoc FB Page)
CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – The Cebu provincial government and some local government units here have started to implement the P20-per-kilo rice program this week.
As of April 28, the towns of Malabuyoc and Daanbantayan have already started selling 10 kilograms of the P20-per-kilo rice to indigent families in their areas.
The program is in line with Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s promise to lower the price of rice to P20 per kilogram.
During a meeting held April 25, mayors from various towns and cities in Cebu reserved sacks of rice, which they will pick up from the Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB) warehouse.
Among the first to secure rice allocations were mayors and representatives from Talisay City, Sibonga, Badian, Alcoy, Santander, Tabogon, Sogod, Naga City, Balamban, Asturias, and Bogo City.
During the meeting, Gov. Gwendolyn R. Garcia explained that the program’s timing aligned with the high supply of rice at the warehouses of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“Puno kaayo ang warehouses sa DA, kinahanglan ni nila ma-unload kay aron makapuno pa sila ug palit kay sige man ron ang harvest didto sa Luzon. Migamay sad ang presyo sa world market sa bugas mao nga timing nga nagtan-aw sila sa atong program,” said Garcia.
(There’s an abundant supply of rice in DA warehouses. They need to unload stocks so they can buy more because harvest season is ongoing in Luzon. The price of rice has also dropped in the world market, so it is the perfect timing for our program.)
Under the DA’s P20 Rice Program, the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) will supply rice to provinces at P33 per kilo.
The provincial government will sell the rice to constituents at P20 per kilo, with the P13 difference jointly subsidized by the local and national governments, each shouldering P6.50 until the end of 2025.
Garcia assured that the program would continue until 2028, regardless of election outcomes.
“Next year, fully subsidized na by the national government aron hangtod gyud ni 2028. Dili ni tungod kay padung eleksyon. Na-timingan lang gyud nga puno kaayo ang warehouses sa DA,” she emphasized.
(Next year, the national government will fully subsidize it so that it will continue until 2028. This is not just because an election is coming. It just so happens that the DA warehouses are extremely full.)
Garcia also pointed out that Filipinos, including the poor, do not simply depend on charity or assistance.
“Dili man ni sila kay naghangad lang ug naghuwat ug ayuda. The very fact that the Filipinos have been crying out for fulfilling the promise of P20 per kilo program, tagaan lang unta nato sila sa presyo nga maabot nila,” she said.
(They are not just waiting idly for aid. The fact that Filipinos have been crying out for the fulfillment of the P20 per kilo promise means we should simply give them a price they can afford.)
Initially, the provincial government requested 300,000 sacks of rice from the DA, with additional stocks to be replenished as needed.
Sugbo Merkadong Barato
The Cebu provincial government had already been implementing a similar initiative through SMB, providing rice at P20 per kilo to identified beneficiaries using QR-coded cards at municipal and city outlets.
Previously, Cebu bought rice from the National Food Authority at P25 per kilo and sold it for P20 to beneficiaries listed under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Listahanan 3, subsidizing the P5 difference.
During the open forum, Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano Z. Gica expressed optimism that the program would influence market prices.
“It will encourage sa atoang mga tao sa merkado to bring down their prices kay naa may baratong bugas nga gikan sa gobyerno,” Gica said.
(It will encourage our local sellers to lower their prices because there will be affordable rice available from the government.)
Under the new arrangement, beneficiaries will be allowed to purchase up to 10 kilos of rice per week using their QR-coded cards.
Distribution will be strictly monitored by the LGUs. (MYP/PIA Cebu)
