P20/kilo rice nationwide

CEBU, Philippines — With less than three weeks before Filipinos head to the polls, the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is moving forward with a major campaign promise: the launch of rice at P20 per kilo, set for a nationwide rollout next week.

The initiative was initially discussed with provincial leaders during a meeting at the Cebu Provincial Capitol yesterday, where the President personally led the talks with Visayas officials.

However, it was later confirmed in a press conference led by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia that the program, originally planned for a Visayas rollout, will instead be implemented nationwide.

“The good thing about this is not going to be in the Cebu Province alone, this is going to be launched nationwide,” said Governor Garcia.

Garcia said that the President has personally taken up the fulfillment of his campaign promise and is pursuing it at a more holistic level with the Department of Agriculture (DA) onboard. She emphasized that local palay farmers will also benefit from the program with a guaranteed market for their produce.

“It takes all of us joining hands together with a President who is bent on fullfilling a promise that will directly affect those that are just trying to eke out a living everyday,” said Governor Garcia.

Garcia added that it would be beneficial to implement the program as soon as possible.

“Because I believe the people are waiting for the opportunity to purchase rice at P20 and it’s always good when a promise is fulfilled. And here we are seeing the President really trying his best that a campaign promise is fulfilled,” Governor Garcia said.

In a media briefing, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the national government, through the DA, is working closely with local government units to implement the program.

“The DA team has been working day and night on how to bring this to reality. Maraming steps kailangan para mangyari to,” he said, adding that the program is expected to be sustained until 2028.

“Basically, ang mechanics nito is since bumaba na ang world prices at ang presyo ng bigas in general, yung gap between P20 and yung current market price na P33 sa merkado, napag usapan na is she-share yun between the national governmnet and the LGUs na participating the program. So, yung difference noon ay hahatiin. So, P6.60 i shoulder ng DA and the LGUs,” Laurel explained.

“For now, we are thinking of two templates, one is 5 kilos per week for a family and the other one is 10 kilos per week. So for now, the estimated essence is 10 kilos per week, so 40 kilos per month,” said Laurel when asked how many kilos a family could purchase under the P20-per-kilo rice program.

Currently, Laurel said the government has 358,000 tons of rice in stock.

“So we have a lot of stocks of rice equivalent. So we really have to move out and dispose it. That’s also the other factor. We couldn’t do this last year because the world price of rice is at a 15-year high. As the world market prices go down, the subsidy will be easier. So we’re hoping that the LGUs will participate and make this program successful so that we can help our people,” Laurel added.

Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla confirmed during a press conference that the program will eventually be implemented nationwide.

“It’s a commendable program because were trying to target P20,” Petilla said, adding that the national government intends to shoulder the full cost of the subsidy starting next year.

Petilla also said that when they came to Cebu, they were told the launch would be in the Visayas, but upon arrival, they were informed that it would be nationwide.

“The President gave us a venue where we can get cheaper rice then then the LGUs will subsidize a bit but the distribution on how it will be given or accessed by the people will be up to the LGUs. So iba-iba ang strategies namin since this is an experiment pa but this is a commendable program,” Petilla added.

The P20 per kilo rice rollout would also mean lowering inflation rates, said Siquijor Gov. Jake Vincent Villa.

“If we do this, I think we can also lower our inflation rate as well because I think rice is a key factor of our inflation. I think it’s a good advocacy and a good program of the President,” Villa said.

Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores also believes the program is highly feasible and beneficial.

"This is the time to deliver the promise of the President, that people can buy the P20 per kilo of rice with the strategies presented to us. I think it is very feasible that we can implement this in our localities. Once we have the necessary guidelines on how to implement this, we will do our job and ipapakita natin not only in our localities but sa buong Pilipinas that this strategy can work,” said Miraflores

Further, Gov. Garcia said this will also support the Capitol's own "Sugbo Merkadong Barato” (SMB) program.

“The good thing about this is that it’s not going to be Cebu Province alone. This is going to be launched nationwide,” Garcia said.

Launched in November 2023, the SMB was funded by the Capitol and delegated the task of selling rice at only P20 per kilo to individual municipalities and component cities for distribution to indigent constituents.

Governor Garcia added that Cebu Province has identified around 270,000 individuals as part of the priority sector for this P20 program (name not yet final). These include frontliners such as barangay health workers, daycare workers, barangay tanods, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, government employees, teachers, and other marginalized sectors.

“But it does not mean others cannot buy, mga priority lang ni sila,” Governor Garcia added.

During the Capitol visit yesterday, the President was accompanied by Special Assistant to the President, Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr.

Aside from the President and the three governors, Garcia also welcomed Guimaras Gov. JC Rahman Nava; Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan; Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria; Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone; Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado; Biliran Gov. Gerard Roger Espina; Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.; and Samar Province representative, Board Member Fe Tan Arcales.

Leyte Governor Petilla denied that politics was discussed during the meeting and stressed that not even a single candidate under the President's administration was mentioned. — /ATO (FREEMAN)