ILOILO CITY – The Iloilo Provincial Government has earmarked funds for the full rollout of the ₱20 per kilo rice program under Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.’s flagship “SiPAG at Tiyaga for MoRProGRes Iloilo” initiative as part of its ₱30.1-billion Annual Investment Program (AIP) for 2026.
The program, aimed at providing affordable rice to Ilonggo households, marks a major commitment to food security and poverty alleviation under the province’s economic and social development agenda.
Approved during the Provincial Development Council (PDC) en banc meeting on May 17 at the Day Hotel, the AIP outlines Iloilo’s priority programs, projects, and activities for the next fiscal year.
Defensor, who chairs the PDC, led the discussions on budget allocations and strategic development goals.
“This investment reflects our longstanding commitment to inclusive growth and ensuring that no family is left hungry,” he said, referring to the rice subsidy program.
The AIP allocates funding across key sectors: Social Services – ₱13.9 billion; Economic Services – ₱7.1 billion; General Public Services – ₱2.7 billion; and Other Services – ₱6.3 billion.
The inclusion of the full implementation budget for the ₱20/kilo rice program signals strong political will to sustain one of the province’s most impactful social interventions.
The AIP serves as the provincial government’s comprehensive work and financial plan, aligning development goals with actual budget execution.
The PDC also endorsed the Department of Agriculture’s proposed farm bridge projects across Iloilo—specifically in Brgy. Camandag (Leon), Brgy. Gemumua Agahon (Passi City), Brgy. Abaca (San Enrique), and Brgy. Nueva Invencion (Barotac Viejo)—to boost rural connectivity and support agricultural productivity.
Updates on ongoing provincial initiatives were also discussed, including the Purok Resilience Program and the planned Provincial Government Center in Santa Barbara.
Present at the en banc meeting were representatives of the province’s five congressional districts, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, municipal mayors, heads of provincial government departments, and delegates from civil society and non-government organizations.