Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Tuesday said the government’s P20 rice program will soon cover public school teachers and non-teaching personnel, expanding access to affordable rice under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship food security initiative.
The move followed the rollout of the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program to jeepney and tricycle drivers and other public transport workers, which Tiu Laurel described as the first step in an aggressive nationwide expansion.
“Many Filipinos across the country are waiting for ‘Benteng Bigas.’ This is a step forward. Our transport workers are organized, there are many of them, and they are among the most financially challenged, yet they form one of the backbones of our economy,” he said at the launch in Quezon City on Tuesday.
The program also opened in Navotas City, Cebu City, Tagum City, and Angeles City, Pampanga, initially benefiting 57,000 transport workers.
The DA chief said coverage will expand weekly to new areas and groups, with teachers and school staff prioritized in the next phase.
By end-2026, the P20 rice program aims to reach 15 million households—or about 60 million Filipinos—with supply secured through the National Food Authority.
The DA also targets selling 1,000 tons of rice daily starting October, rising to 3,000 tons by December, which could serve 3.6 million households by yearend.
“Our target remains the same. We’re pushing to unload 100,000 metric tons of rice from NFA warehouses to households,” Tiu Laurel said.
The Marcos administration has also earmarked an additional P10 billion in the 2026 budget to sustain and expand the program.
