Kidapawan Government Sells P20/Kilo Rice to Help Residents & Farmers
In a bid to aid farmers and residents, the local government of Cotabato province’s capital has launched a program that provides rice at a reduced price of P20 per kilogram every Saturday.
Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista and the city government have allotted P11 million to help farmers who are accredited and authorized to sell their palay at the prevailing National Food Authority prices. The city then mills the grain and sells it to residents at the discounted rate.
Although the program started in March with rice being sold at P25 per kilogram, subsequent weeks showed that it was possible to lower the price further to P20 per kilogram.
The scheme has been highly successful, with locals traveling from remote areas to purchase the discounted staple food from the City Hall grounds, where the “Mercado Kidapaweño” program is held.
However, the city government limits rice sales to 1,000 residents per week, with a maximum of five kilograms per person.
To purchase the discounted rice, residents must provide identification cards proving they are from the city’s 40 villages. While the program is not open to outsiders, it is unclear whether previous buyers can participate in the next week’s sale.
Mercado Kidapaweo sells rice, vegetables, and other basic necessities at below-market costs. With commercial rice prices ranging from P38 to P45 per kilogram, the P20 per kilogram price set by the initiative has offered much-needed respite to people.
People have started camping along the avenue leading to City Hall grounds on Friday nights before the Saturday sale because it has been so popular. On Saturdays, senior residents and those with impairments can be spotted around the City Hall grounds.
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