The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expanded its affordable rice initiative, making the P20 per kilogram rice available to minimum wage earners in the Clark Freeport Zone.
The expansion was formalized with the opening of a new Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) Center inside the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga. This move brings the subsidized staple closer to thousands of low-income workers in one of the country’s fastest-growing economic hubs.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted the critical support this provides for the local labor force. According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), the
Freeport hosts approximately 151,000 workers, with about half endorsed as minimum wage earners eligible for the program.
“This initiative brings affordable and essential food directly to the workforce that keeps this economic hub moving,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.
The rice program, dubbed “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na,” is part of a broader national effort. The DA reported that the program is now accessible in 423 sites across all 81 provinces nationwide.
To ensure transparent and orderly distribution, the agency has rolled out the Benteng Bigas Masterlist Registry System, which has logged over 35,000 registered beneficiaries to date.
Looking ahead, the DA plans to intensify collaboration with local government units and partner agencies to meet its target of 15 million household beneficiaries by 2026.
This week’s expansion efforts are slated to continue in areas like Western Samar and Zamboanga del Norte.
In a related development, the CDC also turned over its state-of-the-art tissue culture laboratory to the DA.
Secretary Tiu Laurel noted that the facility will enhance the agency’s research capabilities and directly support agricultural modernization and sustainable food production efforts.