The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to rollout of Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!—the flagship affordable rice initiative of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—on Tuesday, September 16 to initially reach more than 57,000 public transport workers across five major cities.
From bus, jeepney, and tricycle drivers to transport operators, the transport sector now joins the ranks of those benefiting from rice priced at just P20 per kilo—part of the sweeping effort of President Marcos to bring down the cost of living for millions of Filipinos.
“This is more than a food program. It’s a promise being fulfilled—a fight against hunger that meets people where they are,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. “We are grateful to our partner agencies for making this possible in record time.”
The DA is implementing the program in close coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which helped identify beneficiaries from the transport sector.
Under the program, eligible drivers and operators will be allowed to purchase up to 10 kilos of rice per month at the subsidized price.
Initial rollouts will take place in:
- Bureau of Animal Industry in Quezon City – 17,633 beneficiaries
- Philippine Fisheries Development Authority in Navotas City – 1,001 beneficiaries
- Barangay Pandan in Angeles City, Pampanga – 9,961 beneficiaries
- Food Terminal Inc. in Cebu City – 24,742 beneficiaries
- Tagum City – 3,650 beneficiaries
Designated distribution centers include the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority in Navotas, Bureau of Animal Industry and Agricultural Development Center in Quezon City, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division in Cebu, Food Terminal Inc. warehouse in Angeles, and the AMAD office in Tagum.
Originally aimed at senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and indigent households, the P20 Rice Program has rapidly expanded to cover minimum wage earners, farmers, and fisherfolk. Now, public school teachers, non-teaching DepEd staff, and DSWD’s Walang Gutom beneficiaries are also slated to join.
Secretary Tiu Laurel underscored the administration’s long-term vision.
“We are fully committed to President Marcos’ directive to extend this program to 15 million households by 2026—and to keep it going until the end of his term in 2028,” said the agriculture secretary. “From city markets to rural roads, the message is clear: Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! is no longer a campaign promise but a reality,” he added.
