P20/kg rice to roll out in Visayas next week

P20/kg rice to roll out in Visayas next week — DA

April 23, 2025 , 10:45 PM

(April 23, 2025) — Rice priced at P20 per kilo will be available in the Visayas region starting next week, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Wednesday.

This was revealed after a closed-door meeting led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DA Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. with Visayas governors at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.

It can be recalled that one of Marcos’ campaign promises during the 2022 presidential elections was to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo.

Tiu Laurel said the President plans to expand the program nationwide.

“Initially this program of the program of DA was supposed to last until December. It can stretch it until February, but our President has given the directive… to formulate this to be sustainable and to continue until 2028,” Tiu Laurel said.

The DA is currently finalizing the guidelines for the distribution.

Based on initial information, the national and local government will subsidize the P13 of the total P33 per kilo cost. Families will also be limited to five kilos of rice per week, or 40 kilos per month. Beneficiaries in Cebu will also receive QR codes to help regulate the distribution.

‘Bakit sa Visayas lang?’

Vice President Sara Duterte raised doubts about the program’s rollout, questioning why it is only being implemented initially in the Visayas.

“Baka binubudol na naman nila ‘yung mga tao…. Magdududa ka, bakit Visayas lang? ‘Di ba nagugutom mga taga-Mindanao? ‘Di ba nagugutom mga taga-Luzon?” Duterte asked during a visit to Negros Oriental.

Duterte also questioned the rice quality, suggesting that rice sold at P20 might not be fit for human consumption.

“Mayroon akong pagdududa, na magbebenta ng P20 per kilo na bigas pero ‘di pantao, panghayop… Hindi mga hayop ang mga Pilipino,” she said.

The Vice President also said the initiative could be politically motivated, citing the upcoming elections.

In response, Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla said the meeting was purely about agriculture and no political issues were discussed.

(With reports from Marianne Enriquez and John Aroa, News5)

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