(L-R): Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla, Siquijor Gov. Jake Vincent Villa, and Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores in a press conference at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on April 23, 2025. (Screenshot from Cebu Province FB Page livestream)
CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Four governors in the Visayas have expressed their full support for the P20 Rice Program, which is set to be piloted in Visayas regions in the last week of April.
The governors lauded the Marcos administration for partnering with the local government units in the implementation of the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program.
In a press conference at the Cebu Capitol on April 23, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the program is a fulfillment of Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s campaign promise to lower rice prices.
“We are seeing the President is really trying his best that a campaign promise will be fulfilled. This will go on until the end of the President’s administration,” said Garcia.
The President has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ensure the sustainability of the program until the end of his administration in 2028.
Garcia also thanked the national government for partnering with the local government units in the program implementation.
“I think the governors will play a major role here, and we appreciate the President for tapping us, the governors, in implementing this program,” Garcia said.
Lowering inflation rate
Siquijor Gov. Jake Vincent S. Villa said the program would contribute to efforts to lower inflation rate.
“It is part of the advocacy of our President to really lower the prices of rice. I think through this we can also lower our inflation rate since rice is one of the key factors of our inflation,” Villa shared.
The rice program comes as rice prices in the global market continue to decline, making it feasible for the government to bridge the cost gap between the current market price of P32 and P33 per kilo and the subsidized price at P20.
Meanwhile, Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores is confident that they can successfully implement the program in their areas.
“With the strategies presented to us, I think it’s very feasible that we can implement this in our localities. We are fortunate na dito sa Visayas to sisimulan,” Miraflores noted.
For Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla, the national government provided an avenue for LGUs to access rice at a cheaper price through the P20 Rice Program.
“The President gave us an avenue where we can get a cheaper price. The LGUs will subsidize a bit, but the distribution and how it can be accessed by the people is really up to the LGUs,” Petilla said.
The governors spoke during a press conference following a meeting between Pres. Marcos and the governors from the provinces of Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Negros Island Region at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on April 23.
Pilot implementation
Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the program would be piloted in several Visayas provinces next week.
The program aims to procure rice in bulk and sell it at P20 per kilo to selected beneficiaries from the marginalized sectors, mainly the indigent sector and those from low-income communities.
Laurel said that under the program, the price difference, which is currently around P13 per kilo, will be shouldered by the national government through the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and the LGUs.
He added that the national government and the LGUs will equally shoulder the difference between the market price and the selling price.
“As of now, we are thinking of two templates. One is we can sell a maximum of five kilos per week per family, and another one is 10 kilos per week. So, the maximum that we can sell is 10 kilos per week, so 40 kilos per month per family,” Laurel said.
The budget for the subsidy is estimated to be between P3.5 billion and P4.5 billion, depending on the LGU’s participation and the volume of rice to be sold. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)
