THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched its first barangay-level rollout of the P20-per-kilogram rice initiative or the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” (BBM Na!) program, the agency reported on Sunday.
The rollout was held in Barangay Matina Crossing in Davao City. It was led by DA Assistant Secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra who was joined by representatives from Food Terminal Inc., the National Food Authority, and barangay captains.
The distribution was later extended to Barangay Tungkalan, Toril District, as part of the program’s citywide expansion.
The DA said this was part of the agency’s broader push for wider public access to affordable rice.
Barangay chairman Joel Santes of Matina Crossing welcomed the launch of the subsidized rice program in the community, noting the high poverty incidence in Davao City. He vowed that the priority sectors will be put first in the implementation of the program among the nearly 44,000 residents of the city.
Officials from other barangay also signified interest and pledged continued support for the program.
Assistant Secretary Guevarra said now is the perfect time for expansion of the affordable rice program.
“Our A warehouses are currently filled with rice stocks. By accelerating distribution at the barangay level, we are able to declog A warehouse facilities, enabling the agency to continue procuring palay from our rice farmers,” she said.
“At the same time, the government is able to directly assist consumers, especially those in the vulnerable sectors, by providing affordable rice at P20 per kilo. It is a balanced approach that supports both our farmers and our people,” she added.
Guevarra stressed that strong local government participation is necessary to ensure the subsidized rice program reaches its target beneficiaries, which include indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, minimum wage earners, and solo parents.
She said the P20 Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System has helped streamline validation and purchasing, improving the targeting and efficiency of the program.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. reiterated the DA’s commitment to making food more affordable and accessible to the public.
“This is about delivering on the president’s commitment to make rice affordable for many financially challenged Filipino [households],” he said.
“We are moving aggressively to expand this program so that as many as 60 million Filipinos can benefit from it this year — and we intend to sustain it until the end of President Marcos’ term in June 2028.”
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