At least 7,000 local farmers have already availed of the ₱20 per kilo rice under the government’s “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na” program, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Monday.
The DA launched the expansion of the program on August 13, targeting five million beneficiaries registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the strong turnout proves that even palay farmers—who are also net consumers of rice—want access to cheaper staple food.
“It’s important for them to have access to cheaper rice. So, what happened is proof that many farmers want to avail the ₱20 per kg rice,” De Mesa said in a press conference.
Each farmer is allowed to buy up to 10 kilos per month, equivalent to a 50-kg sack.
So far, nearly 70 tons (70,000 kilos) of rice have been sold to farmers and farm workers.
Before its expansion to farmers, the BBM Na program already benefited senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, and minimum wage earners.
Currently, subsidized rice is available in 18 National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon, with 20 more warehouses on standby for wider rollout.
As of August 17, the DA reported that ₱20/kg rice is also being sold in 211 Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) sites.
Nearly 365,000 Filipinos have benefited from the program as of August 15, with a total of 3,432.78 metric tons sold amounting to ₱68.64 million.