Pres. Bongbong Marcos Speaks Anew on P20 per Kilo Rice Program
BONGBONG MARCOS – The Philippine President reiterated the continuity of the P20 per kilo rice program for the Filipino people.
One of the campaign promises of Pres. Marcos that hooked many Filipino people was his promise for an affordable rice. Rice is a staple food in the Philippines, thus, its delivery at a lower cost may benefit countless people most especially those who are facing the everyday challenge to put food in their table.
Previously, a few days before the May 2025 Elections, the agriculture department announced the availability of affordable rice in Visayas. However, following the advice of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to avoid the program being linked to the polls, the Department of Agriculture temporarily stopped the selling of rice for P20 per kilo.
Meanwhile, ahead of the resumption of the selling of affordable rice, DA announced that more areas in Luzon will also have access to the P20 per kilo rice. Amid the achievement of the popular campaign promise of Pres. Bongbong Marcos, there are still some questions about its continuity.
Recently, the President spoke anew on the government’s program to provide affordable rice to the Filipino people. Based on a report on The Manila Times, the Chief Executive reiterated his confidence on the continuity of the affordable rice for Filipinos.
“Tuloy-tuloy na ito. P20 rice is here to stay. It is achievable, it is sustainable kaya abangan ninyo in your nearest public market,” the Chief Executive said.
According to Pres. Bongbong Marcos, the National Food Authority (NFA) is purchasing fresh unhusked rice or palay from the farmers at P18 per kilo. Based on the report, with regards to the dried unhusked grains, the government buys it at between P19 to P23 per kilo.
“Kaya nagkakaroon tayo ng daan daan na processing para naman yung mga farmer mayroon na siyang dryer, mamimili na siya kung saan niya dadalhin yung tuyo na palay kaya hindi na siya mapipilitan sa kung anong presyo ang binibigay sa kaniya ng trader,” the President added.
Previously, following the announcement about the P20 per kilo rice sale in Visayas, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte raised questions about its safety. The Vice President stressed that the rice should be fit for human consumption. She also asked why it is available only in Visayas and not in other regions.
To prove the safety of the P20 per kilo rice, the DA officials cooked and ate the NFA rice to be sold at the said price during a media conference. The agriculture department also previously said that they also cook and eat NFA rice in the department.
Previously, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that she knows that the P20 per kilo rice is doable but she refuses to help Pres. Bongbong Marcos.