The Department of Agriculture (DA) will begin distributing P20-per-kilo rice to jeepney and tricycle drivers next month, further expanding the reach of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship food program, Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!
“We will initially roll out the P20 rice program for tricycle and jeepney drivers on September 16 in five pilot areas,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said Friday. “We’re coordinating with Department of Transportation (DoTr ) who holds the TODA database.”
One of the first pilot areas is Navotas City, which has a list of 4,000 accredited drivers.
Initially launched for solo parents, senior citizens, 4Ps beneficiaries, and persons with disabilities, the P20 rice program has expanded to cover minimum wage earners, rice farmers, and now fisherfolk. Next in line are beneficiaries of the DSWD’s Walang Gutom program and low-income staff of the Department of Education.
On Friday, Secretary Tiu Laurel led the rollout of the fisherfolk program at the Navotas Fish Port Complex, alongside simultaneous launches in Sual, Pangasinan, and Lucena, Quezon. Eligible fisherfolk can purchase up to 10 kilos per month by showing either their Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture ID, FishR ID, or a valid QR code from the online system.
The phased rollout aims not only to serve vulnerable sectors but also to gather critical data on rice consumption, logistics, and supply requirements. This will guide a planned nationwide expansion in 2026, which President Marcos envisions will reach 15 million households. He has also directed the DA to sustain the P20 program—a fulfillment of his campaign promise–until the end of his term in June 2028.
To strengthen the system, the DA will launch the P20 App on October 1. The app is designed to map out efficient logistics, ensure transparency, and prevent abuse.
Asked whether there’s enough rice to sustain the food program, Secretary Tiu Laurel said there are sufficient stocks. As proof, he cited the planned auction of 1.2 million bags of rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) in October. The rice will first be offered in September to government relief agencies, and whatever is left will be bedded out to the private sector.
The P20 rice program is led by the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service, under Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, and implemented through the KADIWA ng Pangulo network. Rice stocks are sourced from the NFA and distributed via Food Terminal Inc.
“We are testing each rollout step to ensure success as we scale,” Tiu Laurel said. “This is about more than affordability—it’s about building a reliable system that works nationwide.”
