The Department of Agriculture will launch on July 5 a large-scale trial of “Program 29”, an initiative spearheaded by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aimed at providing high-quality rice at P29 per kilo to as many as 6.9 million vulnerable households, representing around 35 million Filipinos.
Following the directives of Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., 10 KADIWA centers in Metro Manila and Bulacan will participate in this trial program, where rice will be sold at P29 per kilo every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday initially.
The large-scale trial aims to gather comprehensive data on supply, demand, and logistics, essential for the smooth nationwide rollout of the program. During this period, KADIWA will also prepare booklets to monitor rice purchases of P29 beneficiaries, which include senior citizens, single parents, persons with disabilities and beneficiaries of the government’s 4Ps program.
The identified KADIWA sites are located in the offices of the Bureau of Animal Industry and National Irrigation Administration in Quezon City; Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila; Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City; PhilFIDA in Las Pinas; Caloocan City; Valenzuela City; Brgy. Fortune and BF City (BFCT) in Marikina City; and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan. ### (Photos by Joseph Henry Elamparo, DA-AFID)
