P20 Rice Program Resumes in Ilocos Norte for Vulnerable Groups
LAOAG CITY — The National Food Authority (NFA) in Ilocos Norte has assured the public of sufficient rice supply to support the continued rollout of the PHP20-per-kilogram rice program under the Department of Agriculture’s Benteng Bigas Meron Na (BBM) initiative.
NFA Ilocos Norte Manager Engr. Jonathan Corpuz confirmed that current buffer stocks are more than adequate to sustain the program, with over 41,000 sacks of well-milled rice and 36,264 sacks of palay (unhusked rice) stored in warehouses across the province.
“We have sufficient buffer stocks—more than enough to supply the PHP20 per kilogram rice program,” Corpuz said.
As of March, around 1,200 sacks of rice have already been released to the Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI) to facilitate distribution under the initiative.
The program enables FTI to sell rice at PHP20 per kilo to priority beneficiaries, including senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Beneficiaries have welcomed the initiative, citing the significant savings it provides amid rising food prices. One resident shared that purchasing five kilos of rice previously cost nearly PHP300, underscoring the program’s impact on household budgets.
The BBM rice program aims to make affordable staple food more accessible to vulnerable sectors while ensuring stable supply through government-managed buffer stocks.
NPO News Team - Philippine News Agency - PR
