Lower-middle-income Filipinos may access rice at ₱20 per kilogram under the accelerated rollout of the Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na program starting January 2026, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced.
This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s promise to provide cheaper, higher-quality rice for poor and vulnerable members of society.
“Every week of the year next year, may ilalabas kami na schedule of implementation for ₱20 rice for the lower middle income class and below,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a recent year-ender interview.
The program aims to reach 15 million households in coordination with local government units (LGUs).
At least eight areas will be prioritized for the provincial rollout from January to February, with Pangasinan leading the schedule. Other areas will be disclosed later.
BBM Na is currently available in all 82 provinces and has benefitted nearly 2 million households. Tiu Laurel emphasized that LGUs will only handle sales and logistics, while the national government will fully subsidize costs.
He also noted that the program may extend rice availability to schools and companies in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).