DA triples monthly allocation for P29/kg rice program

Beneficiaries of the P29 per kilo rice program may now purchase up to 30 kilos of rice each month as the Department of Agriculture (DA) tripled the monthly allocation for such.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. made the announcement during the “Trabaho at Serbisyong Pangkalusugan sa Bagong Pilipinas” event on Friday, saying that the new policy would be implemented nationwide “immediately.”

“We urge you to take advantage of this new policy, which responds to the calls from our financially-challenged fellow citizens for greater access to more affordable food, especially rice,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.

The P29/kg rice is available at Kadiwa stores and centers, with its beneficiaries being the vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and indigents.

The rice sold under this initiative is sourced from the National Food Authority’s (NFA) buffer stocks.

In July last year, the DA launched the mass trial of the P29 per kilo rice program at 10 locations in Metro Manila and Bulacan, aimed at providing affordable rice to vulnerable sectors.

Came August, the DA launched the Rice-for-All Program wherein rice was initially sold at P45 a kilo at select Kadiwa outlets. Unlike the P29 per kilo rice initiative for indigent and vulnerable customers, the Rice-for-All program is available to all consumers.

The current rice prices under the Rice-for-All Program are: P43 per kilo for rice with 5% broken grains, P35 per kilo for rice with 25% broken grains, and P33 per kilo for 100% broken grains. —Giselle Ombay/KG, GMA Integrated News