By Benjie Cuaresma
6 million Filipinos already served; DA pushes palay floor price, NFA procurement to shield producers
MANILA — The P20-per-kilo rice program is a “strategic action” for food security that has reached 6 million Filipinos, with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. assuring that farmers will not be sacrificed as the government scales up to 14 million beneficiaries by 2028.
“Affordable rice and profitable farming can coexist,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said, as he outlined the DA’s safeguards for the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na” program.
Tiu Laurel said the DA is pushing for a floor price on palay ahead of the next harvest to stop traders from using P20 retail rice as an excuse to buy low from farmers. “We have to make sure farmers are not disadvantaged while we keep rice affordable for every Filipino family,” he said.
He added that the National Food Authority’s buying price will remain protected and procurement will be aligned with local harvests. “NFA will buy at prices that let farmers earn. That’s non-negotiable.”
6 Million Served, 14 Million Target by 2028
The program sells rice at P20 per kilo through Kadiwa outlets and LGU stalls to 4Ps beneficiaries, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and now minimum wage earners.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said 120,000 workers from over 500 firms are covered in the initial minimum wage rollout. The directive is to sustain the program until 2028.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said rising local output makes the program viable. “Since our production is already going up, bababa ang cost of production….ang pagbenta ng NFA [ng bigas] pababa nang pababa [ang presyo],” Marcos said.
He backed the DA’s position on farmgate prices: “Kahit ano pa ang mangyari sa presyo ng bigas na ipinagbibili natin sa mga palengke, hindi natin ibababa ang buying price ng NFA.”
Tiu Laurel said the DA is accelerating machinery distribution, irrigation repair, and research on high-yield rice varieties to cut production costs. He noted that NFA-grade rice sold at P20 is sourced from local farmers, keeping procurement money in rural communities.
“We’re watching the supply chain closely. If traders attempt to depress palay prices because of P20 rice, the DA will intervene with direct NFA buying,” Tiu Laurel said.
ia/xf
