The Department of Agriculture launched the “Benteng Bigas” or P20 rice program in Dipolog City on Nov. 28, expanding President Marcos’ initiative to provide affordable rice to poor families.
The program offers P20-per-kilo rice to beneficiaries in Dapitan, Dipolog, and 25 Zamboanga del Norte towns, prioritizing indigent households, seniors, PWDs, solo parents, farmers, fisherfolk, and minimum wage workers.
The National Food Authority buys palay directly from farmers, mills it, and distributes subsidized rice to KADIWA outlets, integrating local producers into the supply chain.
A new digital registry system is being rolled out to identify eligible beneficiaries and support a 10-kilogram monthly allocation per household.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the initiative now operates in more than 424 sites nationwide and aims to reach 15 million families by June 2028.
