Western Visayas Local Governments Boost P20 Rice Orders
ILOILO CITY, Philippines – The Benteng Bigas Meron program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is gaining strong support across Western Visayas. Several local governments have placed thousands of bags of the P20-per-kilogram rice to aid vulnerable communities struggling with food security.
Iloilo province has taken a leading role by placing an initial order of 20,000 bags from the National Food Authority (NFA). These rice supplies are earmarked specifically for distribution to malnourished families in need.
Local Government Units Actively Participating
The order from Iloilo was coordinated through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, led by Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, according to regional NFA officials. Meanwhile, Bacolod City in Negros Occidental has already started distributing rice, having launched its rollout on June 5 after purchasing 5,800 bags from the NFA.
In Guimaras, the provincial government formalized its involvement by signing a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Agriculture’s Food Terminal Inc. They are planning to buy 5,000 bags for local distribution.
Aklan is in talks with the NFA and has expressed interest in joining the program, though details on procurement are still being finalized. Capiz province remains in the planning stages due to ongoing administrative transitions following the recent midterm elections.
NFA to Support Wider Implementation
NFA Acting Branch Manager Andy Ostan shared that the agency is prepared to support participating local governments and may serve as a supply hub for neighboring areas once the program expands.
Earlier in April, President Marcos held a closed-door meeting with Visayas governors in Cebu to discuss the initial rollout of the P20-per-kilogram rice program in the Visayas region.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel Jr. explained that the program targets the Visayas—comprising Central, Western, and Eastern Visayas, as well as the Negros Island Region—because of the high number of people in need. However, the goal remains to implement the program nationwide eventually.
For more news and updates on the P20-per-kilogram rice program, visit Filipinokami.com.