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.
Rice priced at P29 per kilo have been made available in three KADIWA centers in recent weeks.
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.
Secretary Tiu Laurel emphasized the importance of preventing abuse of the program by beneficiaries reselling subsidized rice. The DA aims to maximize the benefit for those in need, aligning with President Bongbong Marcos’ initiative.
“We appeal to beneficiaries not to take advantage of this program by reselling the P29 rice from KADIWA centers. We want to ensure that the largest number of those in the vulnerable sectors will benefit from this program of President Bongbong Marcos,” the DA chief said.
Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, Assistant Secretary for Consumer and Legislative Affairs, urged consumers qualified to participate in the P29 rice program to bring identification cards and reusable containers or bags to minimize plastic usage.
Asec. Guevarra, who also oversees the KADIWA program, a key initiative under President Marcos’ administration, highlighted that in addition to lower-priced rice at designated centers, consumers can also buy more affordable essential items such as eggs, meat, and vegetables.
Nationwide, there are 265 established KADIWA centers along with 119 pop-up stores operating on scheduled rotations to cater to consumer needs.
The DA estimates that full implementation of the P29 program will require approximately 69,000 metric tons of rice. This will provide 10 kilos of rice per month at P29 per kilo to the targeted 6.9 million vulnerable households. Rice supplies will come from various sources, including the National Food Authority, the National Irrigation Administration’s rice contract growing project, and potential imports managed by DA-affiliated entities.
Looking ahead, the DA plans to expand the program to major urban centers nationwide with the support of local government units. By August, the number of participating KADIWA centers is expected to double, enhancing accessibility for economically disadvantaged groups in Metro Manila.
Additionally, President Marcos’ recent Executive Order 62, reducing the tariff on imported rice to 15 percent from 35 percent, aims to further lower retail rice prices, addressing a critical concern for Filipino consumers and contributing to easing inflation and interest rates.
Sec. Tiu Laurel said the DA is also planning to sell in KADIWA centers rice that are priced lower compared to market in a program tentatively called “Rice-for-All.”
The programs like P29 and Rice-for-All aim to enhance food security and affordability, aligning with President Marcos’ vision of accessible and affordable rice for all Filipinos. ###
