The administration of President Bongbong Marcos launches this in the Visayas.
PRESIDENT BONGBONG MARCOS – The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced the pilot launch of Php 20 per kilogram rice.
During the campaign for the 2022 elections of Bongbong Marcos, who is now president of the country, he has repeatedly promised to bring down the price of rice to as low as Php 20.00 per kilogram. This has yet to be fulfilled, and recently, it looked like the pilot launch of this movement would start.
“Ipatutupad na ang pagbebenta ng PhP20 kada kilo ng bigas sa Visayas, matapos ang pulong ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa mga gobernador ng rehiyon ngayong Abril 23, 2025,” says the post from the Presidential Communications Office.
This was announced by Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. shortly after a closed-door meeting with the president. The pilot launch will be in Visayas starting April 23, and this is going to be the first time the cheapest rice will be available to the public.
In this program, each family is allowed to purchase 10 kilograms per week or a total of 40 kilograms per month.
According to Tiu Laurel, the idea only used to be an inspiration of the administration, and at the same time, something they have been actually working on night and day to bring into reality.
For now, there’s a drop in the world market prices, which has made the subsidy lighter. Also, there’s an adequate rice stock inventory at the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses in the Visayas, specifically in Iloilo. The program will be implemented online once the challenges in logistics are addressed.
“We have to also move out stocks from other areas kasi the other factor na kailangan din namin gawin ito sa DA is because talagang punong-punong pa rin ang warehouses ng DA ng bigas at play,” he added.
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